Christmas Countdown
by pinkswallowsun
Summary: Advent-style fic with one chapter a day until Christmas, following the Christmas countdown in the Alexander-Cunningam household. Healthy mix of romance, family, humour, fluff and a little bit of angst- hopefully something to please everyone!
1. Sunday 1st December 2019

**OK, so I know I've got far too many fics on the go at the moment , but I've had this planned for ages so I'm going to go ahead with it anyway :) This is basically going to be an advent calendar, but with a chapter a day until Christmas instead of a chocolate (though you can have a virtual one of those too! ) and a big Christmas day chapter at the end :) The chapters do form one main story but are a series of shorter, separate but connected episodes, if that makes sense. **

**I know not everyone is going to be able to read a chapter every day so I won't be offended if you read a few chapters every few days instead. Though I would like to ask you to find the time to drop me a review when you have a reading session to let me know you're reading and (hopefully) enjoying :) I have just over a week's worth of chapters written at the moment, so if you want this to continue then you're going to have to review and keep me motivated :P **

**Hope you enjoy- and one last thing: for those of you reading my Lighthouse series, sorry it's been really neglected, had awful writer's block with it but got it sorted now, so expect an update this evening :) And to those of you reading Salty tears, expect an update along with tomorrow's advent chapter! See what I mean about having way too many things on the go? :P**

**Till tomorrow,**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Christmas Countdown **

**Harry's Diary**

**Sunday 1****st**** December 2019**

**-9.33am**

"Daddy?"

"Yes darling?"

"This clue's rubbish."

Charming. Kids are so ungrateful these days. Today being December the first, thousands of children across country will be opening the first window on their Dairy Milk advent calendars and eating woefully predictable chunks of chocolate, the only vaguely exciting part being whether it's shaped like a snowflake or a Christmas tree. Tried that for the last two years; boring boring boring. Plus 8 year old in question is notoriously picky about chocolate. So this year, fiancé and I decided to jazz things up a bit by making own advent calendar for daughter, treasure-hunt style with 2 clues leading to chocolate/sweets/whatever can find in cupboard, and this is what we get for it. Don't know why we bother.

"Oi! I'll have you know that your mother and I spent over an hour planning this for you, Josi! And anyway… how do you know that clue's one of mine?"

Is giving me exasperating look; very, very difficult not to laugh when given by 8 year old still in pyjamas. "Because the handwriting's terrible and it's a huge great paper snowflake with 'Big open space, low down,' written slap bang in the middle in tiny messy writing. And slightly smudged."

Fair cop, Gov. Can see Nikki raising eyebrows over top of newspaper on opposite side of breakfast table, is clearly not impressed with my contribution to treasure hunt. It's her own fault. If she hadn't claimed all the good hiding places for her own clues and prizes before darling partner had even finished cutting out his first paper snowflake, I might have had a chance of coming up with something half-decent. Think must have left imagination behind in primary school.

"Fine, fine, it's one of mine. But it's a perfectly good clue, Josi; you just need to put some effort in! Now come on, where is there a big open space around here?"

Looks confused now; screwing up nose the way Nikki does when particularly tricky case has her mystified. "But there isn't one. That's why Hayley the estate agent keeps bringing people round here to see if they like our apartment and you keep dragging me around stranger's houses, and… and I have to keep tidying my bedroom." Life from 8 year old perspective really is fascinating; the strangest things seem to stick in their minds.

"OK, so we don't have a big open space in our apartment. But where _is_ there a big open space?"

"Hallway?"

"There you go, see. Big open space, low down. Off you go!"

Is skipping off towards front door now in still in _short_ short pyjamas and bright yellow bumblebee slippers- hope the neighbours are having mega-long lie in in this morning. Am very, very proud of location of clue number 2; have a feeling Josi is going to be down there a long time.

"Harry? Where exactly _did_ you hide her clue?"

"Ah, now that, Nikki Alexander, would be telling. You'll see."

Looks sceptical now. "You have remembered that she's only 8? And not very tall?"

"Hey, 'low down', remember? She'll be fine." Ohhh, think Nikki's reached the property part of the newspaper. "Anything good?"

"Hmm…" Is spreading the newspaper across the table now, turning it round. "Possibly. Hang on, listen to this: 'this well presented three bedroom house…' oh no, wait, it hasn't got a garden."

"Oh well, worth a try." House hunting is turning out to be bloody nightmare, think we might have picked wrong time of year to start looking. No one with a nice house wants to even think about moving this close to Christmas. "Anything else within our price range, with a garden, at least 3 bedrooms, in a nice part of London and reasonably close to the Lyell Centre and half decent secondary schools?"

Is sighing now as turning page, will take that as a 'most likely not, but I'm going to continue looking and depress myself anyway.' "I'll let you know. But don't get your hopes up, though, Harry, I think this is turning into mission impossible."

Think house hunting is stressing Nikki out somewhat; need to teach her to relax. Maybe should book her a day at the spa for Christmas, as is now only a frightening 24 days away. Maybe should start thinking about Christmas presents, full stop. And change subject before Nikki goes into one of her 'we-are-never-going-to-find-appropriate-house-and-will-be-stuck-on-property-ladder-forever-more' rants/panics.

"Hey, we'll find something. Though I am starting to wonder if perhaps we should call off the house hunting until after Christmas."

"Could we?" Almost sounds pleading, is definitely getting far too stressed out over trying to find new house.

"Nikki, of course we could. Look, the build-up to Christmas is hectic enough as it is and we're not even going to be here for half of it, there's no point adding to the stress with house hunting when we've got a perfectly good apartment for the time being. If Hayley the estate agent phones with something at a convenient time then we'll go and see it, but we stop actively looking ourselves. Deal?"

"Deal." Looks somewhat relieved, now leaning across breakfast table. Looks even more beautiful in the mornings. "I love you."

"Love you too." Tastes of cherries and vanilla. Hmm… except now she's pulling away, frowning.

"Is Josi not back from your treasure hunt yet?"

Oops, perhaps clue was slightly harder to find than previously thought. Or perhaps the cleaners have been in since placed it in top secret hiding place last night? Uh oh, better go and find out. Can just imagine look on Nikki's face if first clue on advent treasure hunt has been swept up by the cleaners.

"I'll be back in a minute, Niks, OK? I'm just going to… check up on her."

**-9.26am**

Oh dear, looks like Josi still hunting for clue. Although does seem to have gotten the right idea; is shuffling across floor on hands and knees, examining tiles with determined, slightly disapproving look on face. Must say, was very proud of camouflage on this one; who knew you could get black post-its? Think they might have been Halloween special edition that Smiths couldn't shift.

"Daddy, are all your clues going to be this hard to find? Because if so, then I think I'm going to be late for school tomorrow."

How on earth does she come up with these things? Is Sunday morning on first day of advent, whole unstructured day spread out before her and promise of chocolate later and somehow Josi has managed to turn it into thoughts of school. Strange, strange child.

"I think I probably did make this one too difficult, didn't I darling? Sorry. You're on the right lines though."

"I know, Mrs Barlow told me. She said she saw you sticking something square and black to one of the floor tiles last night, but she couldn't remember where about on the floor."

Damn. Have been defeated in treasure hunt clue hiding, not by Joycelin, but by 80-something year old OAP from the ground floor flat. Nothing ever gets past that woman, despite her being practically deaf and on waiting list for hip replacement. On both hips. Woman should set up her own private investigation service, No1 Ladies Detective Agency style. Would probably make millions.

"Ohhh, Dad, I've got it!" Love how excited kids get over this sort of thing, is almost enough to make wish was 8 years old again. Life was simple aged 8; only had to worry about finding miniature chocolate bar on advent mornings, not looming threat of meeting with Home Office tomorrow, re, next year's budget. Kill me now.

"Have you?" Yep, she's got it, is now peeling special edition black postit off floor tile. "Ohhh, very good. Right, what's next?" Have hidden actual chocolate in house, so no chance of help from Detective Mabel Barlow of ground floor flat.

"It says, 'somewhere warm but not dangerous.'" Is blinking up at me now. "Daddy, these clues are really unimaginative!"

"Well, tell you what, next year you can come up with a treasure hunt for Mummy and me, OK? Maybe then you'll realize how difficult it is!"

Is giggling now. "You're right, I'm sorry. I mean, it must be difficult to come up with treasure hunt clues this bad!"

"Oi, you! Get on with it, or I'll have the chocolate!" Wouldn't eat the chocolate under any circumstances, is nasty South African stuff provided by Grandma, but Joycelin doesn't know that. Doesn't know that Daddy wouldn't eat her chocolate, not that is nasty. Daughter has awful taste in chocolate, thinks South African Nestle is nicer than galaxy bars, which refuses to eat. Am still trying to work out where I went wrong.

"OK, I'm thinking! Hang on… Dad, 'somewhere warm but not dangerous' wouldn't happen to be the airing cupboard, would it?"

Wow, for an 8 year old she's pretty quick. Thought she'd at least try the toaster before she noticed the 'not dangerous' bit. Trust me, toasters can be lethal in wrong hands.

"No comment. You'll have to go and look!"

"That means yes, doesn't it? Umm, Daddy? You do know what happens to chocolate when you put it 'somewhere warm', don't you?"

Oh shit.


	2. Monday 2nd December 2019

**Happy 2****nd**** December :) Hope everyone's starting to feel at least a little bit xmasy! And thank you so much to Dinabar, Hopelesslyhalfhearted, Charlotte, Lizzi and Amy for reviewing advent chapter no.1, and to anyone else who reviewed after 10.30pm on the first, because that's when I'm writing this- I'll give you a thank you at the start of number 3. So glad you all enjoyed the last one :) Meant to say before- I have by no means finished writing this yet but I do have each day planned out, however, if anything occurs to you along the way that you'd like to see included, then please to let me know and I'll do my best to add it in if possible :)**

**Love Florencia xxx**

**Nikki's Diary**

**Monday 2****nd**** December 2019**

**-7.39am**

Oh god. Cannot believe how badly have overslept. Cannot believe have chosen this morning of all mornings to do it, either- have to be at meeting with Home Office, coroner etc. by 9 in bloody central London, during rush hour, having dropped Joycelin at school and made self look vaguely presentable; is going to be logistical nightmare, given that 9am is now less than 2 hours away and have only just gotten out of shower. Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid.

**-7.40am**

"Harry, you'd better be almost dressed!" Darling fiancé is usually terrible at getting out of bed in mornings, am hoping that shock of accidental lie-in on worst possible morning ever will spur him into action. Better had have done. Have one child to drag out of bed against will as it is, really don't need another one. Although in her defence, child actually under age of 18 is complete and utter early bird, renowned for getting up unnaturally early for no apparent reason. Is husband-to-be who has no healthy sense of panic in mornings.

**-7.43am**

Phew, minor miracle: Harry not only dressed but already in kitchen making coffee and Josi's breakfast. Is actual life saver; have not got hope in hell of getting daughter to school on time and holding off yawns through Home Office meeting without double espresso.

"Thanks." Still have to get dressed, sort hair, get 8 year old out of door and locate sat nav, which have terrible feeling might have been tidied away to unknown location during mad panic over potential buyer visit last week… have no idea why am stopping to drink coffee _at table. _Might have to put in thermo flask and drink in car. "Is Josi up?"

"Should be. She wasn't when I went in just now but I did turn the light on, so she should have dragged herself out of bed by now."

Famous last words. Better go and check; the way this morning's going, has probably discovered homework hasn't done/spellings haven't learnt in bottom of book bag.

**-7.44am**

"Joycelin?" Oh crap, is still curled up under duvet, must have gone back to sleep after Harry came in to turn on light. Brilliant. Of all the days, this was so not the one to pick. "Joycelin, come on, we're late!" Still not responding, am going to have to resort to shock tactics and pull duvet off her. She's not going to be happy.

"Joycelin!" Is groaning now, think is beginning to wake up, slowly. Slowly not good, really need to speed her up a bit. "Joycelin, it's after 7.40, sweetheart, we've all overslept. You need to get up now, OK?"

Is shaking head stubbornly now, closing eyes again. "Don't feel well."

Really don't have time for this, not this morning. Will have to be unsympathetic mother for now and beg for forgiveness later.

"Well you've only just woken up, you'll feel better once you're dressed and you've had your breakfast, OK? Now come on, up. I think you're going to have to do your advent calendar this evening now, we haven't got time. Come on, your breakfast's getting cold."

**-7.52am **

Hair and make-up done in record time, shoes and handbag by front door and car keys located. Now just need to remember where put sat nav. And postit with address of meeting venue.

**-7.56am**

Oh god, can't find sat nav anywhere. Am sure have seen it somewhere odd recently, trouble is, can't remember where. Starting to think moving to bigger house is bad, bad idea- more places to lose things.

"You two haven't seen the sat nav anywhere, have you?" Two shakes of heads, fantastic. Don't know what am going to do if can't find it in time. Might just have to dig out antique London A-Z. Or phone in sick.

"Mummy?"

"Joycelin, you're going to have to wait a minute, darling, I'm a bit busy right now-"

"Mummy, I feel sick." Oh god, poor thing does actually look quite pale. And tired. And ill.

"Do you?" Uh oh, and is burning up. Of all the days for her to be ill; can't keep her off school as Harry, Leo, Janet, and self all required to be at Home Office meeting or else, as are Charlie and Zak. And Mrs C in Welsh valley in middle of nowhere visiting old school friend- i.e., have nowhere to send Josi other than school. Damn.

"Have you had any breakfast?" Don't know why even bothered to ask, spoon has clearly not been anywhere near porridge.

"N-no." Looks like she's about to cry, really not sure should be sending her to school. Trouble is, haven't got anywhere else to send her. Feel terrible now, should have believed her in first place when said wasn't feeling well. Am useless mother too worried about work meeting and finding bloody sat nav to realize own daughter is ill.

"I'm sorry darling, I know you're not feeling well, but I'm afraid you're just going to have to be brave today, OK? Daddy and I have got a horrible meeting with Grandma and Granddad we can't get out of, but we'll come and pick you up at 3 and if you're still not feeling well tomorrow then I might be able to get the day off. But I can't today, I'm sorry."

"OK." Poor thing, looks terrible and yet is still being perfectly calm and rational about having to survive entire day of school feeling like crap. Would actually have felt so much better if she'd thrown a strop.

"Good girl. Good girl, you're being so grown up and brave, aren't you? Now are you going to try and eat some breakfast for me; or you're going to have no energy today."

"Still feel sick." Still _looks_ sick, poor baby, though don't think she's actually going to throw up. "Can I have some neurofen?"

"Josi, I can't give you neurofen if you're feeling sick, I'm sorry. Look, leave your breakfast, go and brush your teeth and I'll find your book bag for you, OK?" When am going to find the time to do that don't know, haven't done her packed lunch yet, either. Although not sure she's going to be eating much of it, anyway.

**-8.02am**

"Nikki, I've found the sat nav!" Harry standing in doorway with sat nav in one hand and proud grin on face; is like dog with Frisbee in park. "Back of the shoe cupboard." Is leaning over to whisper in ear now, worried look on face. "Josi looks ill."

"I know, she _is_ ill. But we're going to have to send her to school anyway, Harry, we can't miss this meeting, your mum's on holiday, and everyone else local is supposed to be at the meeting too. We're just going to have to send her in today and hope she manages."

"But she looks like she's about to throw up." Really not helpful, have realized that all by self and feel bad enough as is.

"Harry, I know that, but what do you want me to do? Leave her at home by herself?" God, sound like stroppy teenager. "Sorry."

"I know." Is pulling me into hug now, only wish could relax and enjoy it. "I'm sorry, too. Look, she'll be fine today Nikki, don't worry. We can always keep her off tomorrow if she's still not right…"

"No, you're right, we shouldn't be sending her into school when she's clearly come down with something…"

"But we haven't got a back-up plan. Nikki, she's going to be fine, I promise. Come on. Josi's going to be fine for today, but if we're not careful she is going to get a late mark in the register, and we're going to be in the coroner's bad books before the meeting even starts."

**-8.10am**

Can't take this anymore, still feel horribly guilty. Have even given Joycelin smoked salmon sandwich for lunch by way of saying sorry and still can't forgive self- not entirely sure is going to be up to eating it, therefore not really apology.

**-8.13am**

"Nikki, we really need to get going!"

Blow it. "I'll be two minutes, OK?"

Going to have to be late, am phoning own personal parenting hotline for reassurance/kick up backside. Can't spend whole day feeling like failure of parent.

**-8.14am**

Damn, is not picking up. Is nine in morning over there, probably in middle of PM. Know she does back-to-back PMs in morning so can have bad-smell-free afternoon.

"_Hello?"_

"Hi Sara, it's Nikki." Sounds like she was in the middle of something, uh oh. Know from years of experience that interrupting Sara in middle of something important is bad, bad idea.

"_Nikki, hi. Listen, I'm a bit busy right now, do you mind if I call back later? I've been meaning to call, actually…"_

"Can I just ask you a quick question? It won't take a minute, I promise."

Slight pause. _"Niks, what's wrong?"_

"No, no, nothing's wrong. Listen, Sara: Joycelin's running a temperature and she's obviously not feeling right at all, but Harry and I both have a majorly important meeting with the coroner today, Harry's mum's on holiday and it seems all our friends either work at the Lyell Centre and have to go to the same meeting or live in a different hemisphere…. Am I a terrible mother if I send her to school feeling sick because there's nowhere else for her to go?"

"_Well I bloody hope not, or else I'm a serial offender and my three should have been taken into care years ago! Niks, don't worry about it, OK, we're all guilty of using school as a babysitting service from time to time."_

"But I just feel so awful about sending her into school when she looks like she should really go back to bed…"

"_But Niks, it's not your fault, like you said, you've got nowhere else to send her and you can't get the day off. It's just one of those things. Listen, there's a simple solution: what time is your meeting due to finish?"_

"12ish, I think."

"_Well in that case, you pack Josi off to school for now with a box of tissues and tell her to go to the medical room at lunchtime and say she's ill, the school will phone you and you can go and pick her up, bring her home for the afternoon. She'll be fine for the morning, Niks, and then you can go and get her as soon as your meeting's over. Would that work?"_

"Perfectly. Sara, you're a life saver, thank you."

"_Don't mention it. And stop feeling guilty, OK? We can't protect them from everything, Niks, no matter how hard we try. I'll call you later, OK?"_

**-9.02am**

Phew, first part of morning successfully negotiated. Have followed Sara's expert advice and told Joycelin to go to medical room at start of lunch break _if_ is feeling no better, and Mummy and Daddy will come and get her then. Took it reasonably well. Even managed to cross London during rush hour behind schedule and still arrived on time, thanks to trusty sat nav. Now just need to somehow maintain concentration throughout meeting which will almost certainly be boring as hell and mostly taken up with finance planning for next year. Lunch time cannot come soon enough.

**-9.24am**

Don't think have ever felt so bored in entire life, and haven't even been sat here listening to coroner drone on about damn budget for half an hour yet. Charlie already playing with nails and Zak has so far supressed at least 5 yawns. Really don't see point of this; everything seems to be exactly the same as last year. Can't coroner just put finance plans in post and we can call meeting if have problem?

**-10.12am**

Ugggh, coroner stopped wittering, so Home Office chief accountant droning on and on instead. Harry definitely bored now, trying to discretely start game of 'rock, paper, scissors' under table. Will not be tempted; is no way can carry this off without drawing attention to self. And no matter how bored get, really, really don't want to end up in coroner's bad books. Can be pretty scary when she wants to be.

**-10.15am**

Harry given up on 'rock, paper, scissors' and feeling up leg; very distracting.

Ohhh, and something vibrating against leg; think must be mobile in skirt pocket. Better try and check who is calling without attracting coroner's attention, just in case. Have nasty feeling might be about daughter.

'St Mary's Primary.' Damn, definitely about Josi. What to do… Shouldn't really answer phone in middle of meeting, is hardly going to make good impression on coroner. No, am going to have to let it ring and call back at end of meeting.

**-10.16am**

Oh god, but what if she's really ill and needs to come home? Would feel terrible if was stuck in skanky medical room all morning when really needed to be at home in bed, poor thing. Own memories of school medical rooms are anything but pleasant. And what if she's been sick, school aren't supposed to keep her there if has been sick. Not to mention will need cuddle and honey and lemon.

**-10.17am**

OK. If school don't try again in next 15 minutes, will say have urgent missed call and leave room to phone them back. If nothing else, is excuse out of most boring meeting in history of boring meetings.

**-10.19am**

School calling again; definitely taking it this time. Coroner can get stuffed, Josi much more important.

"Sorry, do you mind if I go outside for a moment to take a call? It's my daughter's school, I just need to…"

Coroner rolling eyes, clearly doesn't have children. "If you must."

Petty cow.

**-10.20am**

"Hello?"

"Hi, is that Dr Alexander? I'm calling from St Mary's Primary School; your daughter was sick earlier this morning, I'm afraid we can't keep her in school in case it's a viral thing. Are you able to come and collect her?"

"Umm…" Coroner not going to be happy, judging by her reaction to me taking call in first place. Damn it, screw the coroner, is not like have actually contributed anything much to meeting so far. And have sick child to look after.

"Yep, that's fine, I'll come and get her now. I'm probably going to be about half an hour or so, but I'll come and get her."

**-10.23am**

"Well?" Coroner not looking happy; if looks could kill, would be dead within nano-seconds. Suddenly feel like 6th grader confronted by intimidating old teacher all over again.

"I… I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave- my daughter's not well and her school thinks it's best that I take her home."

Disapproving look. "And I hope you told them that you're in the middle of a very important meeting and they'll have to send her back to lessons?" Woman is a troll; poor girl is 8, for god's sake.

"I'm afraid they can't. She's been sick; they can't have her in school for the next 48 hours." Don't care if she doesn't want to hear about vomit, did try to leave that part out. Unfortunately for her, stupid woman decided to make fuss.

"And there's no one else who can collect her for you?"

"Well, yes. But almost all of them are sat around this table, and the other isn't available."

Roll of eyes; look on her face is screaming 'bloody ridiculous, can't think of way out of this but going to make a fuss anyway'. "I suppose we're going to have to manage without you then, Dr Alexander."

"Yes, I'm afraid you are." Evil woman, definitely no children. No, actually, wouldn't be surprised if she had 7 kids and is constantly popping out to pick them up from school. Strikes me as sort of person to enforce rules strictly where others are concerned, but manipulate and break them herself. Bet she nips out to hairdressers in middle of working day all the time.

**-10.57am**

Poor Josi, definitely made right decision coming to get her, was in floods of tears and burning up when arrived, had just been sick again. Will put her on sofa with blanket and DVD when get home and let her sleep, don't think is ill enough to take to doctors just yet. Although do need to persuade her to eat something; hasn't had anything since dinner last night and probably isn't helping. Might have tin of soup in back of cupboard- will check when get home.

Ohhh, phone beeping. Bet know who it is.

"Josi, can you get that for me?"

"Mm hmm." Throat sounds sore, definitely has something nasty. "It's from Dad: thanks for abandoning me, very jealous. Give my love to Joy, H, and 3 kisses. Was it really boring, Mum?"

"Oh, horribly so, Josi, I've never been so bored in my life. How are you feeling now, anyway?"

"A bit rubbish." Looks it, too, am more than a bit worried she might be sick all over inside of Harry's new car before arrive home.

"OK. I know, sweetheart, but we'll be home soon, and then we can go and curl up with a DVD and you can get some rest. You'll feel better if you get some rest."

"Can I watch Pride and Prejudice?"

"Yep, if you want." Must be luckiest Austen-lover on planet: have 8 year old who shares obsession, so get to watch favourite movie on sick day instead of insufferable Disney channel rubbish. Bring on sick days.

**-11.00am**

Although how much of it Josi actually understands, really don't know.


	3. Tuesday 3rd December 2019

**December 3****rd**** :) Huge thank yous to Charlotte, hopelesslyhalfhearted, Lizzi and Amy for reviewing the last chapter, you guys are seriously amazing. Glad you're enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it; I know it has meant that I'm taking longer to upload my regular fics, but hopefully it's worth it :) **

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Harry's Diary**

**Tuesday 3****rd**** December 2019**

**-6.02pm**

Very glad to be almost home, has been day from hell. Nikki not in all day due to having to stay at home with Joycelin (still ill, plus Nikki didn't sound great on phone earlier, think Josi might have given her bug) and mega crash on M25 involving 5 casualties, which Leo, self and newly qualified pathologist Charlie had to handle without expert assistance of the great Dr Alexander (although best not tell Nikki that part, head would barely fit through doorways would be so inflated). Not fun, am now knackered. Cannot wait to get home and collapse onto sofa in front of trashy TV.

**-6.03pm**

Except Joycelin will almost certainly be in front of TV, so if don't want to catch nasty virus, will have to steer clear of sofa. Hmph.

**-6.04pm**

And if Nikki not feeling well either, am going to end up cooking dinner. Oh god. Can't cook to save life, as discovered last month when Nikki went for girls' night out with Janet, and Josi and I tried to cook Vietnamese stir fry/curry thing. Saucepan was not even saveable.

**-6.13pm**

"I'm home!" Apartment worryingly quiet, doesn't bode well on ill front. "Anyone here?"

"Hi." Uh oh, Nikki definitely not sounding right, voice incredibly croaky. Has almost certainly caught Josi's virus. "Sorry, I haven't started dinner yet. How was your day?"

"Busy. Mega crash on M25; 5 dead."

Is grimacing now, not entirely sure if in sympathy or because is feeling like crap. Probably a bit of both. "Sounds horrible. Look, I don't think Josi's going to be up for school tomorrow- she's lost her voice completely now- so you take tomorrow off with her. I can take over any outstanding PMs you've got from today."

Hmm, not a great fan of that idea, don't think Nikki's well enough to be going into work, either. "And what about you? How are you feeling?"

"Me? I'm fine, just a bit tired, that's all."

"You sure? You don't sound great."

"Harry, I'm fine!" Is getting defensive now; sure sign that is not feeling well. "I'm fine; I've had a nice easy afternoon at home watching Jane Austen DVDs. So god only knows why I'm so tired."

"Look, Nikki, you go and watch another DVD with Josi, I'll sort dinner out."

Is smirking now; bet know what she's thinking.

"What, and risk you burning it to a crisp like last time? You can _help_, Harry, but if you think I'm going to let you cook dinner by yourself then you've got another thing coming."

"Fine, fine, we'll do it together." No point arguing with her over this, know am not going to win. "Where's Josi, by the way?"

"In bed with a cold flannel and a Harry Potter book, last time I checked."

"Alright for some."

**-6.39pm**

"Josi, dinner!" Should have fed her about hour ago, so is either starving or, as is ill, has gone off idea of food completely. My money's on the latter.

Speaking of daughter, just entering kitchen now in pyjamas and dressing gown, holding up mini-white board. _I've lost my voice. How was your day?_

"Did someone say something? Nikki, you didn't hear someone say something just then, did you?"

Looks confused. "What? Oh!" Seems to have gotten the idea. "No, I didn't hear anything. Must have been your imagination."

Am now being given death glare from Josi in addition to severe poking and motioning to whiteboard on which has now drawn angry face. Don't think is in mood for jokes at moment. "OK, I'm sorry darling, not funny. My day was fine, thanks. How are you feeling now?"

_A bit better, thanks. Except I still can't speak._

"Poor you. Well, Mummy and I have made you some nice soup…"

Nikki not looking happy now, mock affronted look on face. "I'm sorry, Mummy _and I_? Harry, you cut up the vegetables!"

"Yes, and did so beautifully, didn't I, Joycelin?"

_I'm can't tell, the soup's been blended._

"Yep, not helpful, Josi. Anyway, as Mummy has so helpfully blended your soup for you and destroyed the evidence, I'll just have to tell you that the vegetables were expertly cut up."

"Ah, you see Harry, nobody ever said you weren't a decent vegetable cutter-upper. But you have to admit, almost all your culinary ventures end in disaster when it comes to the actual cooking part!"

"Hey, not always! I… well… I managed that beans on toast alright last weekend, didn't I?"

**-7.29pm**

Ah, can relax now; Joycelin just gone to bed so peace and quiet at last. Well, peace. Was quiet beforehand, as child in question hasn't regained voice yet. Now snuggled up with Nikki on sofa paying absolutely no attention to rubbish on TV. Am supposed to be loading dishwasher, but think Nikki might be asleep across lap, so obviously can't. Is definitely ill, don't want to wake her. Am hoping she can sleep it off.

**-7.43pm**

Looks so peaceful when asleep. And beautiful, despite dark circles under eyes, beginnings of cold sweat and slightly snotty nose. Hope Joycelin still not well enough for school tomorrow, or else will be no persuading Nikki that shouldn't go into work; will do so, wear herself out and make herself even worse. Is talent of hers, unless stopped from doing so, and as is so bloody stubborn, changing her mind about going into work when ill is mission bloody impossible.

**-7.57pm**

Should probably put her to bed now or else is going to have horrible back ache tomorrow, on top of flu-like symptoms.

**-7.58pm**

On second thoughts, best not. Is not even 8 in evening just yet, will move her off sofa if still asleep by 9. Too tired, despite being before even Joycelin's usual bedtime, and can't be bothered to move now when can stay here cuddled up to beautiful love of life. Even if means will run risk of catching virus off her.

**-8.14pm**

Ohhh, think she might be stirring; starting to fidget. And cough. And yawn. Though still looks beautiful, even half asleep and sick. Still can't work out how managed to get so lucky.

"Nikki?"

"Hmm?" Is stretching out across sofa now, has horribly cold feet. "What…. What time is it?"

"Only quarter past eight, believe it or not."

"Really?" Is rubbing eyes groggily now, think is most likely only half-awake. "God, it feels later."

"That's because you're coming down with something." Actually, feel pretty shattered myself, but is just down to long, hard day, is no way caught virus from fiancé and daughter. Can't have done; too much to do tomorrow. Haven't got the time to be ill.

"You know what, why don't we just call it a night and head off to bed? There's no point falling asleep on the sofa when we could just get a ridiculously early night and feel better for it tomorrow."

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"That has got to be the best idea I've heard all day.

**-8.18pm**

Nikki definitely, definitely not well; didn't even back fuss when picked her up bridal style from sofa. Thank god is feather-light, would have declared self too tired and left her on sofa to sort self out if not. Love her very much, but am also very tired. Very, very tired.

**-8.19pm**

Ohhh, hang on…

"Nikki, look!"

"What?" Doesn't look particularly bothered, think just wants to go to sleep. Won't do when realizes what am about to show her, is enough to bring out excited child in anyone.

"Look!" Will take her outside onto balcony so can enjoy properly; even in half-asleep, flu-riddled state, cannot possibly miss it out there.

"Harry, we're going to freeze… oh!" Think she's finally got it; can tell by way face is lighting up. "It's snowing!"

"Yep, first snow of winter!" Can't quite pinpoint what it is that makes snow so exciting; causes endless amount of trouble on London roads and is nightmare trying to reach crime scenes when roads are like huge great ice rink. Without the safety rail at the side.

No, actually, do know why snow is so exciting: is because can build snowmen and have snow ball fights, whole country grinds to standstill and is perfect excuse to drink excessive amounts of hot chocolate. Plus, don't think Joycelin has never seen snow before, so provided get decent amount this evening, can introduce her to joys of making snow angels tomorrow in park. Perfect.

**-8.20pm**

Ah, forgot most important reason to love snow: kisses on balcony on dark December night with snowflakes falling around self and beautiful fiancé, snowflakes in hair, moonlight illuminating features. Is definitely spirit of Christmas build-up: something truly magical about kisses on snowy balcony. Could quite happily stay out here forever.


	4. Wednesday 4th December 2019

**Happy 4****th**** :) 21 days to go until Christmas :) Thanks again to Dinabar, Lizzi, Amy and Em (you're not hopeless!) for reviewing – hugs and kisses coming your way :) Hope you like this one!**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Wednesday 4****th**** December 2019**

**-6.50am**

Harry Cunningham groaned as the alarm clock began to blare, rolling over and slamming his hand down on the sleep button wearily. Just 5 more minutes, he told himself, pulling the duvet up over his head. He would heave himself out of bed in 5 more minutes, but not just now.

"Harry?"

He pushed back the bedclothes at the sound of his name, rolling over to face Nikki to his left. Her eyes were still closed; the pile of tissues overflowing off her bedside table behind her suggesting that whatever it was she had been suffering from the night before, it had only gotten worse overnight.

"Harry, was that our alarm?" she asked blearily, half-awake, her voice hoarse-sounding and croaky, barely more than a whisper. "Harry come on, we need to get up."

"No, _I_ do," Harry corrected her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulled her in close, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "You're not going anywhere. Joycelin didn't even have any voice last night and she was sick yesterday so we can't send her into school. And you're not well either, so you can stay at home with her today and take it easy, hey?"

"But that's not fair, Harry, I had yesterday off with her," Nikki protested weakly, rubbing at her eyes as if in an attempt to wake herself up, convince him that really she was fine. "You were really tired last night too, you should take today off. I'll be fine."

"No you won't," Harry told her firmly, pulling away and dragging himself out of bed at last. "Look, I'm up now, and I've got outstanding PMs to complete, it makes more sense for you to be the one who takes the day off." He wandered around to Nikki's side of the bed now, leaning over to kiss her softly. "Go back to sleep, OK? I'll go and check on Joycelin, sort her out; you just go back to sleep. Do you want anything? Water? Tissues? Lemsip? Hot water bottle?"

"Water would be great, thanks," Nikki murmured sleepily, kicking away the bedclothes and stretching out across the bed like a cat in the sun. "Too hot," she complained weakly.

"I know," Harry sighed sympathetically, brushing her hair away from her face gently. "I know, go back to sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up, OK? I promise."

Harry emerged from the bathroom a short while later to find Nikki fast asleep, duvet thrown on the floor and his pillows now firmly on her side of the bed, pressed against the small of her back. Even from the wardrobe at the other side of the bed he could tell she had broken into a cold sweat in the brief time he had been in the shower, the glass of water he had left for her on her bedside table empty. A part of him was almost glad that their daughter still wasn't well enough to go into school, otherwise, there would have been no stopping her going into work, something which clearly was the last thing she needed right now. In all honesty, he hated the idea of leaving her, wanted nothing more than to stay at home and look after her, but knew at the same time that it wasn't fair to leave poor Leo down two pathologists at once. No, he was just going to have to leave Nikki and Joycelin to look after each other for today and try to get home early that evening. It was only a few hours, he told himself, dressing quickly and leaving the bedroom as quietly as possible as so not to wake her, swinging the door closed behind him.

"Joycelin!" Harry called softly as he pushed open his daughter's bedroom door slowly, flicking on the light. "Joycelin?"

But the room was empty, the bed made and curtains drawn, revealing the dull grey sky and absent sun.

"Joycelin?" Harry called, frowning as he wandered down the hallway towards the lounge. "Josi, are you in here?"

He could hear her voice coming from the corner of the living room as he opened the door; clearly she was talking to someone. But who? Nikki was still in bed…?

"Josi, who are you talking to?" Harry asked as he entered the room, spotting his daughter sat at the computer in the corner. His daughter turned round as she heard him, still in her pyjamas, revealing a lilac stuffed elephant sat on the desk next to the computer screen, webcam perched precariously on top.

"Morning, Dad!" she smiled brightly; her voice was still hoarse though she neither looked nor sounded anything like as ill as she had the previous evening. "I'm on Skype," she offered by way of an explanation, as matter as fact as could be. Harry hadn't even been aware that his 8 year old knew how to work Skype by herself; he and Nikki had allowed her to use it to talk to her 'relatives' in South Africa in the past, mostly due to her and Martha running up the phone bill, but never had she been shown how to work it herself. Children these days really were growing up too fast.

"Jasper says hi." Joycelin told Harry now, beginning to turn back to the computer screen.

"Hang on, Jasper?" Harry repeated. Jasper was Leo and Janet's middle child, and Joycelin's best friend. "Josi, why on earth are you on Skype to Jasper at quarter past seven in the morning? I know you're not going to school today, but he still has to, and you're not exactly helping Grandma and Granddad get your cousins to school on time, are you? You can bet your Granddad's going to be having words with me later."

"It's fine Uncle Harry, we don't know if we're going to school yet, either," Jasper explained brightly from the computer screen, his voice slightly distorted by the speakers. "Mummy's just checking to see if school is open today."

"Really?" Harry asked sceptically, crossing the room to perch beside Joycelin at the computer. "And why wouldn't school be open today?"

"Because it's snowing, Daddy!" Joycelin told him excitedly, giving her father the mock look of exasperation her mother often used when Harry came up with something stupid, missed something obvious. "Haven't you seen?"

"I saw it last night," Harry told her now, moving over to look out the window. "But I didn't think there was enough of it to… " He cut off as he reached the window, suddenly confronted with a Christmas-card-like view of West London stretched out before him. To say it had been snowing was an understatement: even from their first floor flat, he could see quite clearly that the road and pavement below was smothered completely in a blanket of thick white snow, so far unspoiled by car tracks, footprints, nothing. There were no longer any snowflakes falling past the window, but there was a thick layer of snow covering the window sill, the roof of the block of flats opposite, the tops of the street lights; the cars parked along the sides of the road the only indication as to where the road itself ended and the pavement began. Now that the sun was beginning to make an appearance and the sky had paled in complexion it seemed to blend with the snowy ground, the horizon blurred and uncertain as wintery London seemed to stretch on for eternity. "Oh."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Joycelin beamed happily. "I don't think anyone's tried to get out of our road yet, but Jasper says their neighbour tried to leave their estate and his car got stuck in the snow! Granddad's gone to try and help him get it started." Why was it, Harry wondered, that the world grinding to a standstill was so exciting through the eyes of an 8 year old, whilst the adults around them were too busy worrying about the logistics of life to relax and enjoy it all?

"He has, has he? Jasper? When your dad gets back, can you ask him to phone me, please?" Harry asked. It certainly sounded like Leo was not going to be able to get into work, which meant that either he would declare the Lyell Centre closed for the day and give everyone the day off, or he would be all the more determined for Harry to get in to the lab so that at least one pathologist was there. And Harry was desperately hoping Leo would go for the first option; not only would it mean that he could stay at home and look after Nikki, but it also meant that he would be able to take his daughter to the park for a snowball fight, something he had been desperate to introduce her to for years, but never had the opportunity to do. Today was just the perfect day for it… the snow was still so fresh, so untouched, his daughter's first proper glimpse of snow and therefore the most special, the one she would remember in years to come. And that meant it simply had to be just that: the most special.

**-7.29am**

"Daddy?" Joycelin asked as she threw Ollie the elephant up onto the kitchen counter before clambering up and sitting down beside the microwave, using the cupboard door handles as foot holes. "Daddy, so are you or aren't you going into work today?"

"Not sure yet, darling," Harry told her, rummaging around in the cupboard above the kettle for the coffee jar. "I'm waiting for your granddad to phone and tell me whether or not he wants me to try and get into work, though whether or not I'll actually manage to get there even if he does is another matter altogether. And anyway, what have I told you about sitting on the counter?"

"But it's the only way of reaching the microwave!" Joycelin protested, pouting at her father as her face twisted into a near perfect replica of Nikki's when he stole her coffee.

"Then ask Santa for a stool for Christmas. Now come on, down. I'll get your breakfast out the microwave for you."

"But I'm grown up now!" Joycelin complained, jumping down from the kitchen counter begrudgingly. "I can get my own breakfast out of the microwave!"

"Not if you can't reach it!" Harry teased her. "Now listen, darling, Mummy's not feeling very well today, I think she's got your virus. So if I have to go into work today, then you're going to look after her for me, aren't you?"

"Of course I will," Joycelin told him sincerely, now rummaging around in the cutlery drawer for a spoon, before stopping, her ears pricking up as she heard the phone begin to ring. "I'll get it!"

"No, let me, it's probably Granddad wanting to tell…" Harry began, but not before his daughter had clambered up the kitchen counter on the opposite side of the room, grabbing the phone off of the base.

"Hello? Hi, Granddad!" she called excitedly, absent-mindedly walking her stuffed elephant across the toaster. "I'm fine, thank you; I'm feeling much better now… Ja, he's here, would you like to speak to him? It's Granddad," she explained to Harry, holding out the phone. "He wants to speak to you."

"Well, I could have told you that," Harry said, feigning annoyance, taking the phone from Joycelin and holding out a cup of coffee to her. "Can you be really, really helpful and go and put that on Mummy's bedside table while I speak to your granddad? But don't wake her, OK? You promise? Hi Leo," he greeted his friend warmly, leaning back against the kitchen table. "How are you on this wonderful snowy morning? Still stuck on the col-de-sac?"

"Afraid so," Leo sighed. "Hang on, how did you…?"

"From Josi, who got it from Jasper via Skype- don't ask," Harry told him. "So you're not going to be able to get to the Lyell Centre today, I take it?"

"Probably not," Leo admitted. "We're completely snowed in down here, what about you?"

"Not sure, haven't tried yet. Though for a road that's supposedly been gritted, it's looking positively snowy out there."

"Not really worth bothering, then," Leo concluded. "Charlie's already phoned, all the over ground trains into London have been cancelled so she can't get in either; I would suggest you and Nikki try to get out and you could drop Joycelin round here for the day- school's closed so our lot are at home. But Nikki's not well, is she?"

"No, she seems to have caught Josi's cold," Harry sighed. "Although Josi actually seems much better this morning- if you're sure you don't need me to try and get into work then I might take her down to the park for a snowball fight."

"Yep, I'm positive, you have fun," Leo assured him. "I'll phone the coroner and tell her we're all snowed in, there's no point fighting our way into work when we could have fun throwing snowballs at our children in the park, is there?"

"No point at all," Harry agreed. "Thanks, Leo."

"Don't mention it. It's only winter for a few weeks a year, Harry, there's no point wasting it."

**-9.48am**

"Nikki?" Harry called softly as he stepped into their bedroom, peering slowly around the door and spotting her sleeping form curled up under the covers, long blonde curls spread delicately across the pillows. "Nikki, sweetheart?" He crouched down beside his fiancé and shook her shoulders gently, feeling more than just a little guilty as she moaned a little under her breath, blinking up at him blearily, still half-asleep as she became slowly aware of his presence.

"Harry?" she asked slowly, finally managing to force her eyes open, though her voice still confused, as though she wasn't quite awake still, not quite with him. "Harry, what…? What time is it?"

"Almost 10," Harry told her gently, running his hands through her hair in a comforting gesture. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap," Nikki mumbled weakly, tiredly, pulled the duvet up around her shoulders. "Why aren't you at work?"

"Because it's been snowing like crazy out there, no one can get into work and so Leo's declared the Lyell Centre closed for the day," Harry explained, moving to perch on the edge of the bed as his arms snaked around Nikki's waist. "Listen, Josi's feeling much better this morning, she's desperate to get out in the snow and I don't think I can hold her off any longer."

"You mean _you_ can't wait to get out there and pelt her with snowballs," Nikki murmured sleepily, her face breaking into a smile.

"Well, that too," Harry admitted. "So, I'm going to dig her gumboots out now and take her over to the park. You don't want to come, do you?"

Nikki just shook her head, eyes now firmly closed as she buried her head into the pillow. "Just want to sleep."

"OK," Harry said softly, pushing the duvet gently around her body until she was wrapped in a warm duvet cocoon. "OK. We won't be long, we'll just be over the road; I'll take my mobile and call if you need anything, alright? I love you," he whispered, his hand lingering on Nikki's arm a little longer. "Go back to sleep, OK?"

**-10.23am**

"Daddy?" Joycelin called across the park to Harry, her hands stretched out in front of her as she tried to catch one of the newly falling snowflakes in her hands, her face lighting up in wonder as one landed on her glove and promptly melted away. "Daddy, will you help me?"

"Depends what with," Harry teased her, wandering over to where his daughter had been busily rolling snowballs, one, Harry reasoned, almost the size of her. "If you want me to help you lift one of those up so you can throw it at me, you can forget it."

She paused for a moment, contemplating. "OK. So how about if I wanted you to lift it up for me, but to put it on top of the big one to make a snowman, not to throw it at you?"

"Well, I suppose…" He lifted up the second snowball and balanced it on top of the first, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "Perfect. Now all we need is a carrot."

"A carrot?" Joycelin repeated. "What do you want a carrot for?"

"For his nose, of course! Come on, Josi, use your imagination!"

"Oh! But… where exactly are we going to get a carrot?"

He reached into his pocket now, pulling out the carrot he had grabbed out of the fridge earlier. "How about this one?"

"Daddy? Why have you got a carrot in your pocket?"

"For occasions such as this. There you go, I'll try and find some stones for his eyes and mouth," Harry told her, turning away and crouching down in the snow. "Josi?"

"Hmm?" she said, turning around to face her father, too late to move out of the way of the large snowball hurtling towards her, hitting her square in the chest. "You are so going to pay for that!" she laughed, crouching down to form her own snowball.

"Whatever you say, Josi," Harry grinned, picking up his second snowball and taking aim. "Whatever you say."


	5. Thursday 5th December 2019

**I'm afraid it's a slightly shorter one today, but I have got a nice long one for you all tomorrow :) Thank you so much Amy, Emma, Dinabar and Lizzi, once again, you guys have made my day. And this chapter is dedicated to anyone having a particularly rough time at the moment, be it with uni, college, GCSEs, work, family, friends, whatever, because I know there are a few of you out there and I'm thinking of you xx It's nearly Christmas, and it'll all get better soon, promise :) And if you want a chat then please feel free to PM me. I've been told I do a good line in virtual hugs :)**

**Back tomorrow,**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Thursday 5****th**** December 2019**

**Harry's Diary**

**-1.12am**

Ugh, what is that horrible noise? Is middle of night, nasty bleeping should be banned at this time. Is probably damn rubbish collection again. No, hang on, definitely not rubbish collection, is Nikki's mobile. Now think about it, think she is supposed to be on call tonight.

Hmm. Except is showing no signs of having heard phone going off. And still not very well as of yesterday evening, poor thing, think might have nasty bout of flu. Perhaps should take case for her, think going out into freezing cold snowy London in middle of night to examine marled, deformed dead body is probably last thing she needs right now.

Right, mind made up.

"Hello, Dr Alexander's phone."

"Oh, hi. My name's DCI Craig Walton, I'm with the metropolitan police. Is Dr Alexander available?"

"To come out on call, you mean?"

"Yes, ideally. I know it's a very antisocial hour but there's just been a major pile-up at the Hounslow end of the M25- all this ice, you see- 3 dead so far that we've identified but that might go up in the next few minutes, my team haven't finished clearing the site yet. I was hoping she could come down here to examine the bodies. I believe she's on call tonight."

"Ah, I see. Well, there's… there's been a slight change to the shift schedule. My name's Dr Harry Cunningham- I work with Nikki, I'm taking her on-call night this evening."

Slight pause; think might have confused poor DCI. Wouldn't be first time; some of them seem to have difficult time getting head around idea that Nikki and I are in loving relationship despite working in same office. Think must be something of rarity outside Lyell Centre.

"Oh… alright then. But… so why…"

Ah, _that_ question. Should have known was coming, have had to explain several times before. Clearly most pathologists, not in loving relationships, don't tend to pick up each other's phones in middle of night. Although, now think about it, Nikki and I used to pick up each other's phones in early hours of morning even when were still just best friends. Must be exception which proves rule.

"Why am I answering Dr Alexander's phone in the middle of the night? Because she's my fiancé."

"Ah, I see. Congratulations. OK, well, I'll text you the post code and see you as soon as possible, then."

"OK, thanks." Ugh. Horrible cold crime scene in middle of night, fantastic. But would much rather do it self than send Nikki out into cold, especially when ill. Will try and leave flat as quietly as possible, deal with mass-pile up in record time and get back home before she wakes up and realizes am gone. Bloody road traffic accidents, have no sympathy for them on this particular occasion. People who drive on motorways in middle of night in middle of big freeze in least prepared country for snow and ice in whole world deserve everything they get.

**-1.58am**

People who drive on roads this icy in middle of night really are brainless idiots. Anyone with half a brain can work out within minutes of beginning driving that roads are practically ice rink, and driving on them is bad, bad idea. Not only are they putting selves in danger, are also putting in danger lives of poor pathologists who have to come running out in middle of night to clear up their mess. Hmph. Not happy. Want to get back to warm, comfortable bed and curl up with beautiful fiancé, ASAP.

**-3.42am**

Ugh, am knackered. Crime scenes in middle of night are definitely no joke. Took whole hour to finish up looking at 5 different bodies from 3 different vehicles; was one of nastiest road traffic accidents have come across in career. And still have to actually PM bodies at work today/tomorrow/whatever you want to call it; no way can have day off on basis that can't get into work, as managed to get to crime scene perfectly fine. Though am hoping Josi's school will still be shut today, as that way will have excuse for Nikki to stay off work. Is no way is well enough to go in given how ill was yesterday evening, but know for a fact Nikki will not be seeing it like that. Therefore Josi not having to go into school would be perfect solution.

**-3.56am**

Hmm, maybe could have day off work with fiancé and daughter on basis that am having to drive at snails' pace home due to excessive ice, therefore will take twice amount of time would have to get home, therefore will be knackered at work today/tomorrow? Maybe not. Will just have to suck it up, hmph. Not happy.

**-4.08am**

Phew, home at last. Well, still have to slip and slide way across ice rink of road to apartment building, but more or less there. Only few more minutes and will be back in nice warm bed with Nikki, can't wait. Might even manage to get in good 2 hours sleep before alarm goes off, never know.

**-4.11am**

Ah, wonderful warm apartment, will never take for granted again. And promise of wonderful warm bed in minute or so, just need to get out of thermal snow gear and into bedroom without waking Nikki. Actually, now think about it she is lightest sleeper known to man; normally would just be done with it and risk waking her up, but is fighting off nasty virus. Perhaps should sleep in spare room?

**-4.12am**

Except spare room radiators not working, and has no spare duvet, blankets, hot water bottle, etc. Screw it, am tired, want to sleep in own bed. If Nikki wakes up will just have to try and drop off to sleep again.

**-4.14am**

Ah, no signs of disturbance so far, am doing well. Just need to…

"Harry?"

Damn. So close.

"Sorry sweetheart, did I wake you? I'm sorry, I've been out on call…"

"Hmm?" Damn, think she might be awake enough to realize have done slight switch of schedule. "But it's… it's not your night… is it? Hang on, you didn't…?"

Why is it that can never outsmart her, even when half-asleep and feeling like crap?

"Well, you were dead asleep, Nikki, and you didn't hear your phone go off…"

"So you thought you'd take it for me?" Now sounds worryingly alert and angry for 4 in morning, really is no pleasing some people. "Harry, I'm perfectly capable of doing my job, you know, and I don't appreciate you dictating when I am and aren't allowed to do so!"

Uh oh, is using posh Queen's English voice, only gets that out on special occasions when particularly irritated. Think is probably best to just grovel and not put up fight on this one, am too tired to argue. And think microwave-heated-bear-thing was planning on using for warmth has been hijacked by Joycelin- not in cupboard- so was hoping to use Niks as own personal hot water bottle. Which will not happen if fed up with me.

"I know, Nikki, but you just looked so tired… I was only trying to help, honestly, I thought I was doing you a favour... Nikki?" Oh god, can't be sure, but think she might be crying. Hate it when she's ill, have learned from years of experience that Nikki + flu = mood swings. Can't cope with mood swings at best of times, let alone in middle of night.

"Sorry… I'm sorry, I'm being stupid, and irrational, and selfish, and..."

"No you're not, you're just tired, and everyone gets a bit techy when they're tired. Go back to sleep, OK, it's the middle of the night. And stop hogging the duvet, I'm freezing."

Is giggling now, think might have managed to cheer her up. "Fine, being as you asked so nicely." Now cuddling up into chest; was right, is like having hot water bottle. Perfect.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Your feet are bloody freezing."


	6. Friday 6th December 2019

**I'm trying to get an early night tonight, which means that you're getting this one early, because I don't trust myself to get up early tomorrow morning to update :P So if you want to save it until it's actually the 6****th**** then STOP READING NOW! And if it's already the 6****th****/you don't mind, then thank you so much for coming back for more, so glad you're enjoying this. Huge hugs to Amy (glad I could be of assistance, hope it's going OK!), Charlotte (thank you so much:), and Lizzi for your reviews. Lizzi- unfortunately Harry will be unavailable in January as he's going to be busy packing to move house/preparing for his and Nikki's wedding in the context of this fic, though he sends his best wishes and is sure you're going to do amazing :) **

**As always, reviews are lovely, either signed or anonymous. And very much appreciated :)**

**Back tomorrow,**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Friday 6****th**** December 2019**

**Harry's Diary**

**-7.32am**

"Daddy?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Do I _have_ to go to school today?" Trouble with snow days is that the more 8 year olds get of good thing, the grumpier they are when school declared open again and have to be sent in.

"Take a wild guess, Josi. And eat your breakfast."

"No?"

"Guess again."

"But it's not fair! It's still snowing!"

"No Josi, that's where you're wrong, you see. It's not actually snowing anymore, there's just lots of snow left over from Wednesday. And it's a bit icy, but that's fine; if Daddy can manage to get into work, then you can certainly get into school."

"But… but your car might… might skid off the road and we might all die!" Is remarkably cheery for 8 year old, think might be spending too much time at Lyell Centre.

"Josi, we're walking there! And I don't see what you've got to complain about, anyway, you're going on a trip today! Which Mummy and I have already paid for, so you're going. And anyway, I thought you liked history? I thought you were considering anthropology as a career option?" Poor teachers of 3F and M today have unenviable task of accompanying 60 8 and 9 year olds to Fishbourne Roman Palace, ie, freezing cold ruin in middle of nowhere. Is going to be bundle of laughs if all are as un-enthusiastic as mine is.

"I do! But there won't be any skeletons at Fishbourne Palace, will there? And it's going to be freezing cold, and icy, and horrible, and it's all outside!"

"I'm sure there's a nice warm museum to eat your packed lunch in."

"Maybe. But I still don't see why I have to go to school."

"Because it's a legal requirement. Now come on, come and sit down and eat your breakfast."

"But Anouk doesn't have to go to school today! Anouk doesn't have to go to school again for a whole month!"

"Well, that's because Anouk goes to school in South Africa where the summer holidays come in December, isn't it? You'll get your long holiday in August when Anouk's still at school, and then she'll be the one complaining." Anouk is Joycelin's third best friend after Leo and Janet's son Jasper and someone called Gracie from her gymnastics class, is also Sara Laurence's friend and colleague Danika's daughter. Therefore goes to school in Cape Town and has just broken up for summer/Christmas holiday- new school year not starting until mid-January. As Joycelin knows perfectly well, is just being awkward. God, hate school run with every bone in body.

Has gone quiet now, giving me 'OK, you-win-but-no-way-in-hell-am-I-going-to-admit-to-that look.' Has her mother's stubbornness for sure.

"Exactly. Now will you please come and sit down and eat your breakfast?"

"But I'm still looking for my advent chocolate! I can't come and have my breakfast until I've finished my treasure hunt!"

Hmm, not sure how happy teachers will be if Josi late for coach to Fishbourne due to thorough search of house for chocolate log. Chocolate log as in mini chocolate bar from South African equivalent of multi pack bag, not actual chocolate log. Am far too responsible a parent to give her actual chocolate log- apart from anything, sugar rush would have her bouncing off walls in minutes.

"Well, it'll still be there once you've finished your breakfast, so how about you eat your toast and when you're completely ready for school you can carry on looking. Deal?"

"Fine. But if I slide over on the ice and break my gladiolus, I'm blaming you."

"I'll look forward to it. Now eat. Quickly."

"Where's Mummy?"

"She's in bed, darling, she's still not feeling very well. But I'm going to walk you to school, don't you worry. I'll get you there."

Uh oh, is screwing face up slightly in deep thought, is potentially dangerous this early in morning. Haven't got time for deep and meaningful conversation about the practicalities of Harry Potter or whatever it was last week.

"So… if Mummy's not feeling well and you're going to work, surely someone should stay home to look after her?"

"She'll be fine, Josi, she'll probably appreciate the peace and quiet. Now look, I've done you a flask of soup, and I've put some of those disposable hand warmer things in your coat pockets, OK? You'll be fine. And I'll be there at 4.30 to pick you up. You don't need a clip board or anything, do you?"

"Don't know."

How helpful. "Right, well I'll dig one out for you just in case, OK? Now can you go and brush your teeth, please? You wouldn't want the coach to leave without you, would you?"

**-8.03am**

"Nikki? Nikki?" Is probably shattered, know for fact had rough night last night. "Nikki, sweetheart?"

"Hmm?" Blinking sleepily now, doesn't look like is going to put up too much of fight about not going into work. Then again, didn't think would put up much of fight last night when took her crime scene for her.

"Nikki, I'm going to walk Josi to school now, OK? How are you feeling?"

"Rubbish." Is rolling over sleepily, doesn't seem to be in any hurry to jump out of bed and head off to Lyell Centre, thank god. "Don't want to get up."

"OK. OK, I'll tell Leo you're still ill. There's some soup in the fridge and I've left you a glass of water and some painkillers, Josi's out all day on this trip to the Roman palace but Leo and I can lift share to pick her and Jasper up at the end of the day, don't worry about that. I'll call later, OK? I love you."

"Love you, too. See you later, then. And say hi to Leo for me, won't you?"

**-8.46am**

Ah, peace at last. Have safely deposited 8 year old at school equipped with flask of soup, gumboots, huge fluffy scarf and £2.50 to spend on rubbish in gift shop (felt guilty when met Janet at gate and found out had given Jasper a fiver, but couldn't find anything smaller than 20 pound note in pocket) and waved off coach, now on way to work to begin long and painful process of PMing victims from earlier nasty road traffic accident. Life is officially complete.

**-12.59pm**

Phew, lunchtime at last. Have had morning from hell; even with Leo and Charlie helping with PMs am still only just over half way through. Think would rather be Josi wandering around Roman ruin, at least has flask of Heinz tomato soup and advent chocolate to look forward to. I, on other hand, am going to have to put up with either crappy sandwich from canteen, or overpriced salad from Starbucks up road. Hmm. Decisions, decisions…

**-1.00pm**

Right, decided. "Leo?"

"Yes?"

"I'm just nipping up the road to Starbucks; you don't fancy anything, do you?"

"Umm… coffee would be nice, thanks! Only if you're paying though, of course."

"Oh great, thanks! Fine, I'll be back in a minute, OK?"

Ohhh, phone ringing, looks like won't be going just yet. Is probably Nikki wanting to know where have hidden last cappuccino sachet. Will never give away location of secret hiding place, is only way to ensure get fair share of nice food in our house.

"Hello?"

"_Hi Harry."_ Ohhh, not Nikki, is Sara Laurence.

"Oh, hi Sara. How's everything going down in nice, warm, sunny, snow-free Cape Town?"

"_Snow? Ohhh, do you have snow up your end?"_ Uh oh, had forgotten how excited Sara gets about prospect of snow, is arguably worse than Nikki and Joycelin in butterfly house at London Zoo. Combined. Which is rather ironic, given Sara has never even experienced snow. Don't think has even left southern hemisphere, unless include Phoenix, Arizona and various parts of southern Italy. All in height of summer. Which obviously don't.

"Well, not really anymore. We did have a lot of it a couple of days ago, but since then it's just turned into ice and slush and now London's roads are all a health and safety hazard. It's a bloody nuisance, to tell you the truth."

"_What? Oh, but Harry, how can you call it a nuisance? You can build snow men, you can go ice skating, you can have snow ball fights, you can drink hot chocolate without the guilt…"_

"Already done all that thanks, now it's just getting boring."

"_Well, you're no fun, are you?"_

"Nope. The novelty kind of wears off after a while, Sara, honestly. You're not missing much. And anyway, aren't you supposed to be working?" According to calculations, is 3pm in wonderfully hot, ice-free zone of southern Africa, ie, middle of afternoon.

"_I know, I know, but there's only so many tox reports a person can take at once before they're bored out of their minds. Now listen: Pieter's ordering the turkey tonight, so I need final numbers for Christmas. And don't even think about turning me down again, Harry! I've invited Leo and Janet's lot _and_ your mother this year, so there are no more excuses!"_

"Ah, well, did I tell you about my uncle Hector…?" Has become joke 'sore point' over years that Alexander-Cunningham family are yet to attend one of Pieter and Sara's Christmas bashes, don't think can hold Sara off any longer before becomes actual sore point. Although in defence, did take Mum to New Year party there almost 6 years ago now. By midnight, 60 something year old mother was completely smashed and dancing round swimming pool with Danika, Sara's then-teenager Zaretta and school friends to 2012 song by Jay something-or-other in out of tune, warbling wail. Didn't seem to realize was 2 bloody years too late. Almost died of embarrassment when she eventually tripped over karaoke machine cord and fell in.

"I'm joking, Sara, I'm joking! No, final number: the three of us plus my mother. Oh, and Ollie the elephant, but apparently he's a chocolate-eating vegan at the moment, so he won't be wanting any turkey, he'll just eat Josi's dessert. We've booked the flights and everything, it's all arranged."

"_Ah, finally. And what about Leo and Janet, are they definitely coming?"_

"Think so, I'll check. LEO!" Oops, came out slightly louder than intended. Oh well, at least will get Leo's attention.

"Blimey, Harry, you'll be waking the inmates if you shout any louder! What is it?"

"Sara's on the phone, she wants to know if you, Janet and the kids are still coming out to Cape Town for Christmas."

"You know we are, Harry, we booked the flights together!"

Oops. Think might be getting old, memory not what it was. Which makes no sense at all, because happen to know Leo is good 10 years older than self. Must be aging prematurely, not good. Note to self: borrow Josi's Nintendo DS and invest in brain training game.

"Ah, right. Yep, they're definitely coming, Sara."

"_OK, great, thanks. So when am I expecting you?"_

Oh great, Sara's going to love us for this one. Had been hoping to keep estimated time of arrival in Cape Town under wraps until last possible moment. "Umm, we should be arriving on Thursday the 19th at, umm… 5 in the morning."

"_5 in the morning? You're not seriously about to tell me you're going to want picking up at 5 in the bloody morning, are you?"_

"Umm, well… do taxis out there run at 5 in the morning?"

"_Ja, but you'd be mad to risk getting in one of them. Fine, fine, Pieter and I can come and pick you up. But you so owe me a fantastic Christmas present!"_

Uh oh, better get thinking. Don't think even Nikki has started Christmas shopping yet, might be idea to suggest start this weekend. Christmas starting to feel worrying close; haven't even bought box of chocolates to give as emergency present in case of forgetting anyone/receiving present from someone unexpected. Eeek, am horribly unprepared. Now think of it, haven't even bought Lucy the secretary's Secret Santa for office Christmas party yet, despite said event being exactly one week away. Uh oh.

"Consider it done. Thanks, Sara."

"_You're welcome, don't mention it. Anyway, is Nikki around?"_

"She's not, sorry, she's off sick today. I think she's managed to catch whatever Josi had earlier this week, only slightly worse."

"_Oh, poor thing. Give her my love, won't you? Well, if Niks isn't there then you'll have to tell me: what do you want for Christmas?"_

Oh god.

"Ah, well… umm… Can I get back to you on that one?"

"_Only if it's before 10 tomorrow morning, that's when I'm going shopping."_

Ah. Have no clue what want for Christmas, am highly unlikely to be able to be able to come up with something by tomorrow morning. Is clearly sign that am perfectly content individual with no need for material possessions; is good thing all year round except at Christmas. Might just become Buddhist monk and retreat to Tibet next year, would save awful lot of faff. Not to mention money.

"_Oh, and Harry?"_

"Hmm?"

"_Is it alright if I buy Josi a Christmas present with 'age 10+' recommended age range? I know she's only 8, but she's a mature 8, isn't she?"_

"Depends what it is."

"_Oh, I can't tell you that, Harry! You'll have to wait for Christmas!"_

Don't like sound of that. Really, really don't like sound of that; is probably something Josi will love but will drive Nikki and self completely barmy by New Year at latest. My money's on either something which makes loud, annoying beeping noises when breathed on, or pet, possibly chinchilla knowing our luck- apparently damn things stink. And ruin furniture. And rodent of some sort would make sense: Sara is avid animal lover, unfortunately for her, husband Pieter is allergic. Such a shame.

Hope it is a chinchilla, actually. Would only have to put up with it until early January; is no way even Joycelin's puppy dog eyes would manage to get the thing back through UK customs.


	7. Saturday 7th December 2019

**Happy 7****th**** :) Got to get up early tomorrow to finish essay but can't sleep- wish me luck! Not so sure about this one but too late now, so please do let me know what you think. I'm not as far ahead of myself as I was with this, so your encouragement is extra important :). And thank you so much Amy (no idea, they just sort of come to me at random intervals :P) , Izzy and Lizzi for your reviews, love you all :) You guys never fail to cheer me up!**

**Keep a look out for more tomorrow!**

**Love Florencia xxx**

**Saturday 7****th**** December 2019**

**-9.46am**

She woke up late come Saturday morning; the faint winter sun was already leaking sleepily through the curtains when at last she opened her eyes. But it was Saturday morning, she reminded herself, and lie-ins on Saturday mornings were practically a necessity, provided that she wasn't called out to a crime scene, of course.

She blinked a little now, stretching out across the bed like a cat in the afternoon sun as she yawned softly, slowly becoming aware of the warm arms wrapped tightly around her waist, holding her close against a warm, solid presence behind her. She rolled over carefully, chest now pressed up against her fiancé's, looking right into his eyes as he smiled at her sleepily, brushing a curtain of messy blonde curls away from her face.

"Morning, you."

"Morning," she yawned, stretching her arms out above her head, leaning over to wrap her arms around Harry's neck as he pulled her in close; lips locked together passionately, tenderly, lovingly, taking comfort in the warmth of his body pressed closely to hers, perfectly content.

"What time is it?" Nikki asked sleepily as she broke off the kiss at last, rubbing at her eyes in an attempt to keep them open. Not that it mattered to her too much at the moment, not when all she wanted to do was stay curled up in bed with Harry all day long, but at the same time she knew they couldn't. Partly because of the huge pile of ironing waiting for her in the corner of the kitchen, and partly because she and Harry had promised Joycelin that they would put up the Christmas decorations today, and that was a promise which neither of them dared go back on. Nikki could remember it well; at Joycelin's age, decorating the house for Christmas was almost as exciting as Christmas itself.

Harry pulled away from her a little more in order to lean across to check the time on his alarm clock, yawning as he threw himself back onto the bed, his arms back around her neck, his eyes closing once more. "Quarter to ten," Harry mumbled sleepily at last. "But so what; it's Saturday, we don't have to get up yet."

"We should probably go and check on Josi, though," Nikki pointed out. "Or else god only knows the state we'll find the place in when we finally stop lazing around and get up."

"She's fine, I checked on her about an hour ago," Harry assured her. "She's fine: she's busy creating a Playmobil safari all over the living room floor. Getting from one end of the room to the other might be a struggle, but other than that I don't think she's causing too much havoc."

"I know, but we promised her we'd go and get a Christmas tree today, remember? And we know from last year that all the good ones are usually gone by early afternoon, no matter how early on in December it is."

"True," Harry yawned, frowning a little at the thought of having to drag himself out of bed for good this time. "Can't we just buy a nice, perfectly proportioned fake one that folds up nicely and doesn't have to be squished into the back of the car in order to get it home, or drop pine leaves all over the living room floor? It'd save us a fortune in the long run."

"Yes, but can you imagine the look on Joycelin's face when we tell her that she's not going to get the promised run around the Christmas tree farm with the owner's sheep dog this year because Mummy and Daddy are stingy and want a plastic tree from the back of the next directory?" Nikki pointed out, laughing at the look of realization and defeat on Harry's face. "Exactly. Right, I'm getting up," she announced, pushing back the bedclothes and moving to step out of bed, bursting into giggles as her fiancé tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her back down beside him. "Harry!"

"Come on, 5 more minutes!" Harry pleaded with her. "5 more minutes and then I'll heave myself out of bed quietly, I'll even fork out for a bloody 6 foot pine leaf shedding monstrosity without complaint. Please?"

"Fine," Nikki sighed, feigning annoyance as she rolled his eyes at him. "But only 5 more minutes. Or else Josi might try to make her own breakfast again, and I don't know about you, but I'm so not in the mood for cleaning pancake mix off the ceiling."

**-12.09pm**

"Daddy?" Joycelin Cunningham asked as she wandered ahead of her parents down yet another row of potential Christmas trees, stopping at last to inspect a group of them and finally pointing to one on the end of the row. "Daddy, what about this one?"

"Well, I would say yes, but there's no way we're going to fit that through our front door really, is there?" Harry pointed out. "Josi, it's huge!"

"True," Joycelin admitted thoughtfully, turning away from the Christmas trees and glancing down towards the shop part of the farm at the entrance, her eyes suddenly lighting up.

"Mummy? Daddy?" she asked hopefully, eyes wide, giving her parents the puppy-dog-eye look she only ever put on when she wanted something. "Can I go and play with Ruffles the sheep dog?"

"Hey, I thought you were going to help us choose a tree!" Harry complained. "Or do you just want to decorate it? Oh, go on then," he gave in, a part of him suspecting that he and Nikki were going to find it a whole lot easier choosing a suitable Christmas tree without the hindrance of their 8 year old. "But stay where Mummy and I can see you, OK? Don't go wandering off!"

"I won't!" Joycelin called, skipping off down the row of trees towards the sheep dog in the distance. "Oh, and Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"What about that one?"

"Which one?" Harry asked. "Josi, you haven't even looked at it properly…" he trailed off, simply staring at the tree his daughter had pointed out more or less blindly, the tree which was perfectly proportioned, small enough to fit through the front door yet not so small it was going to look ridiculous in the corner of their living room. "Oh. Josi, how did you…?"

But she was already gone, running off eagerly towards the sheep dog, completely unaware of her parents' bewilderment.

"How on earth did she do that?" Nikki asked Harry in amazement. "She didn't even look at that tree properly and yet it looks perfect, how on earth…?"

"Ah, maybe not perfect, though," Harry sighed, crouching down beside the tree to inspect the plastic tag wrapped around its stump. "You haven't seen the price tag."

**-2.35pm**

"Josi, darling?"

"Hmm?"

"You do realize you're going to have to clear all this off the floor if we're going to decorate the tree, don't you? We can't even walk across the room as things stand, can we?" Nikki pointed out. The three of them had ended up spending a good hour at the Christmas tree farm before they had finally managed to find one they liked, with no help from Joycelin, who had been perfectly content chasing Ruffles the sheep dog between the aisles of trees. And then they had spent a further half an hour trying to wrestle the thing into the back of the car once they had chosen it, only to have the boot of the car fly open on the motorway 10 minutes later. As much as Nikki hated to admit it, she was beginning to wonder if Harry had a point about real Christmas trees being far more trouble than they were worth. Now they were finally home and had managed to place the tree in the corner of the room, however, due to the chaotic mess of Playmobil animals which was currently their living room floor, actually decorating it was going to be a challenge.

"But Mummy, it has to stay like that, it's a safari!" Joycelin protested from her position on the floor beside the assortment of African animals (along with several polar bears and a koala which didn't escape Nikki's attention). "If I have to move it then the lions will get too close to the meerkats, and then they'll eat the meerkats…"

"Nice try, but it's perfectly natural, Josi, it's called the circle of life."

"Well, not all lions would eat the meerkats, of course. The vegetarian lions wouldn't," Joycelin told her mother seriously; Nikki biting down hard on her tongue as she fought to stop herself from laughing.

"Vegetarian lions?" she repeated. "Josi, there's no such thing as a vegetarian lion!"

"But there are vegetarian sharks, so why not vegetarian lions?"

"What? No, no sweetheart, that's just in Finding Nemo," Nikki explained struggling to keep a straight face. "That's a movie. A cartoon movie. Real sharks all eat fish."

"But what if they're allergic to fish, like Nana?" Joycelin asked, frowning. "What if they can't eat fish, surely they'd have to be vegetarian sharks then?"

How was it that a simple request for her daughter to clear her toys off the living room floor had turned into a discussion as to whether or not it was possible for sharks to be allergic to fish? Nikki wondered bewilderedly. Now she thought about it, she wasn't entirely sure.

"Look, Josi, just clear them off the floor please, or we can't decorate the Christmas tree," Nikki told her, smiling as her daughter practically sprang down to the floor to pick up her plastic animals; it was amazing, the effect Christmas had on children.

"Mummy?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I put the star on top of the Christmas tree?"

"Well, I would say yes, darling, but how exactly are you planning on getting up high enough to put it there?"

"Daddy's going to lift me up," Joycelin stated matter-of-factly, lifting the gold star out of the decoration box.

"Am I? First I've heard of it!" Harry remarked, feigning annoyance. "OK, go on then, being as you asked so nicely. But only if you promise me they'll be no wriggling. We don't want you kicking down the tree like last year, do we?"


	8. Sunday 8th December 2019

**I'm not convinced by this one, but I don't think it's too terrible and I need to get on with the 11****th****, so I hope it's OK :) Hugs to Amy, Lizzi, Emma (for your two!), and Charlotte for your reviews, thank you so much, and hope you're all now feeling suitably Christmasy! Lizzi- have you been reading my plan, tomorrow's chapter involves Harry trying to find a last-minute babysitter! I would write you in, though I'm afraid I've already written it :( But you'll be top of Harry and Nikki's list for next time :)**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Sunday 8****th**** December 2019**

**Nikki's Diary**

**-9.02am**

"Mummy, I'm confused!"

Oops, think must have made today's clue for advent treasure hunt too difficult. Not like Josi to give up this easily.

"Are you, darling?"

"Yes. I don't understand your clue."

"Do you not? What don't you understand about it?"

"It says 'Christmas 1990.'"

"And?"

"And Christmas 1990 has been and gone." Has 'Mummy-you-are-being-a-complete-idiot' look written all over face, think she might think have made a mistake with the date? Hmm. Is going to have to take it all back soon when realizes am actually genius. Well, maybe not genius, don't think it takes much talent to hide packet of haribo, but still.

"Yep, that's right, it has. So think about it: where in this flat if there something from Christmas 1990?" Not going to help her out on this one, will be so much more fun watching her try to work it out.

Ohhh, she's screwing her face up in confusion now; looks well and truly stumped. Ha.

"I've already tried the TARDIS mug. And there was nothing in there."

Wow, that's actually quite a good idea, didn't think of that. Children really do have most amazing imaginations. Either that, or watch way too much TV.

"OK, so not the TARDIS mug. So think: where else is there something from Christmas 1990?"

Is frowning now, clearly not impressed. "Well I don't know, do I? That's… that's… that's 21 years before I was born, so how am I meant to know which things in this flat are from Christmas 1990 and which are from… from Easter 2005?" Sounds like she's getting frustrated now, had better help her out before she loses interest.

"OK, I'll give you a hint. It's not so much something from Christmas 1990, it's something that shows you something that happened at Christmas 1990. Does that help?"

"Umm…" she's thinking now, still looks rather baffled though think brain might be beginning to kick into gear. "Is it a photograph?"

"It might be." Don't want to give too much away, though think she's likely to suss it out within seconds now. Is ridiculously quick for an 8 year old at the best of times.

"But there are loads of photographs in this house! How am I meant to know which one I'm looking for?"

Hmm, maybe not as quick as previously thought.

"OK, one last clue. But after this one, you're on your own! Don't you go thinking I'm going to give you 3 hints in a row!"

"OK then. So what is it?"

"Where are we going for Christmas?"

"Auntie Sara and Uncle Pieter's?"

"Less specific."

"Cape Town?"

Ohhh, she's got it. Well, hint number 2, at least. "Maybe, maybe not. I'm not telling you!"

"Which, of course means 'yes.' Hmm… OK… so a photograph of Christmas 1990 in Cape Town… so that must be one of yours, not one of Daddy's, right? Hmm… ohhh, OK, back in a minute!"

She's running out of the room now, if is heading for mine and Harry's bedroom then is on the right lines. Have balanced packet of haribo on top of framed photo of self and own mother taken on beach on Christmas Day 1990 on photo-collage wall of bedroom; thought this one might pose more of a challenge to her than some of Harry's hiding places so far. And no risk of haribos becoming sticky, melted mess on top of photo frame, unlike Harry's mini chocolate bar in the airing cupboard last weekend. Still haven't managed to work out how he could have possibly been so stupid. Calls himself a doctor yet apparently doesn't know that chocolate melts in the airing cupboard.

**-9.04am**

Speaking of darling fiancé, is due back from run around park (in what remains of snow, is completely mad) any minute, so should probably get on with sewing so can give off impression of having had extremely productive morning so far. Josi in Christmas dance show next weekend, so have been given unenviable task of sewing about a million sequins onto navy blue leotard in star shape, so can do star solo to twinkly music. Have done 12 so far and eyes already going funny- think might need glasses. And sewing lessons. Mrs C is brilliant at this sort of thing, really wish could take it round to her place. Trouble is, have already given her sugar plum fairy tutu to make glittery, and last week had to get her to attach elastic to new ballet shoes. Will be so glad when this is over.

**-9.05am**

"Mummy, I've found it!"

"Have you? Well done! Right, so now you've finished your treasure hunt, you can come and write your Christmas cards and keep me company while I finish making your costume."

Face contorting into frown now, doesn't look particularly impressed.

"Do I have to? It's not Christmas for another… another… another 17 days, so why do I have to write my cards now?"

"Because we've got to stick half of them in the post to South Africa, and that's going to take over a week at this time of year." Left it too late last year and cards failed to arrive until 4 days after Christmas, therefore am trying to get family organised this year. Emphasis on the word 'trying'.

"So can't I just write my cards to people like Ouma and Auntie Sara and Uncle Pieter and Anouk now, and do the others later?" Don't think she's quite getting the point.

"Or, even better, you could just write them all now, and then you won't have to worry about them next week. Look, I've found you a nice pink gel pen, and I've even dug out the list of all the children in your class so you'll know you've got a card for everyone. All you have to do is actually write the cards, Josi, it's not going to take long."

"Fine. But only if I can use the penguin Christmas cards."

**-9.07am**

Grrrrr, so bored of sewing sequin after bloody sequin, am seriously contemplating getting Joycelin to do it herself. Then again, maybe not such a good idea, as would probably end up stabbing herself with needle. Maybe is best to just let her get on with writing her Christmas cards.

**-9.08am**

"Mummy? What's Anouk's address?"

Ohhh, must mean Joycelin has written at least one Christmas card; if nothing else, is a start.

"Oh, don't worry about that, darling, I'll stick it in the envelope with Danika's card from all of us, OK, it'll save money on postage."

"Oh, OK. Mummy?"

"Hmm?"

"Are Danika and Anouk going to be at Auntie Sara and Uncle Pieter's at Christmas?"

"Well, probably not on Christmas Day, but knowing your Auntie Sara there'll be a party at hers a couple of days before Christmas, and Anouk will be at that, I'm sure." The pair of them haven't seen each other in a shocking 4 months, think are missing each other, despite constant chatting on Skype. Really, really don't understand how pair of 8 year olds can possibly have so much to talk about. Then again, Josi can be right chatterbox when gets going; sometimes is difficult to remember is still only little when having conversation with her about the moral implications of British troops occupying and controlling parts of Afghanistan. Think might have to put a limit on amount of time allow her to spend watching the news.

**-9.09am**

Ohhh, detect movement from hallway.

**-9.10am**

Yep, as predicted, is wonderfully sweaty fiancé, slightly muddy and cold-looking. Have no sympathy for him; is not as if was forced to go out running in this weather.

**-9.11am**

Urgh, is trying to give me kiss, refuse to cooperate until has had shower. Love Harry very much, but do not want sweaty kiss. Yuck.

Except darling fiancé is just not getting the hint.

"Harry! Harry, it's not funny, get off! Harry!" Too late, damage already done, might as well enjoy sweaty kiss. Will get round to killing him later.

Once have finished with those bloody sequins, that is.


	9. Monday 9th December 2019

**16 days til Christmas :) These are going to start getting much more Christmassy in the next couple of days, so stay tuned! I'm also hoping to update my other fics this weekend- very sorry, I know I've been neglecting them lately, just haven't had a lot of time to write and as this one needs to have a chapter a day, it's had to take priority. But I'm hoping to have Conclusions in Cape Town and Salty Tears finished by Christmas, so I can focus on the Obsession and the follow up fic to my Lighthouse series in the New Year :) But there will be Obsession updates before Christmas, don't worry! Just to let you know the plan. And I promise never to have so many fics on the go at once again, honest :P**

**Final thing: thank you so much to all my amazing reviewers: Dinabar, Emma, Charlotte, Lizzi and Amy- honestly couldn't do this without you!**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Monday 9****th**** December 2019**

**Harry's Diary**

**-9.19am**

"Please?"

Begging Zak is much, much harder than initially anticipated, was hoping he would be a pushover. May have underestimated him just a little over the past 8 years.

"Please, Zak, she won't be any trouble! We're only going to be an hour or so, and then we'll come straight back and you can be on your way…"

"Harry, I told you, I'm meeting a friend tonight. A special friend, whom I've already cancelled on twice in the past week. A friend who…"

"It's your girlfriend, isn't it?" Zak is notoriously rubbish at keeping secrets, particularly ones related to love life.

"Yes, it's my girlfriend." 'Fine-you-win-but-I'm-really-not-happy-about-this' look written all over face, is quite funny. Though am not sure how helpful that particular admittance is going to be in Operation: persuade Zak to babysit Joycelin this evening so Nikki and self can go and look at potential new house, as informed of by Hayley the estate agent earlier this morning. Would take daughter with us, but would have to take her straight from gymnastics and would be considerably late to bed, therefore knackered tomorrow at school. And Nikki and I are in her teacher's bad books as it is.

Uh oh, Zak continuing, doesn't sound promising. "…my _new_ girlfriend, my girlfriend with whom everything is going rather well at the moment, the girlfriend I really don't want to offend by cancelling our date _again_ so I can be on babysitting duty! Sorry." Looks slightly apologetic now, think might be starting to give in. "I'm sorry, any other night I would. And Josi's no trouble, honestly, that's not the problem. I just can't cancel on Georgia again."

Ah. Maybe not.

"Well… you could always invite the lovely Georgia round to ours…" no, am not even going to bother continuing with that one, is obvious from look on Zak's face that he's never going to agree. Damn.

"OK then Zak, not to worry. I understand."

"Can't Leo and Janet have Josi for the evening? I don't think they'd be any complaints from the kids there."

"They can't, it's 4 years since Jenna was adopted today, so they're going out for dinner as a family." Haven't actually asked Leo yet; remembered today is oldest child Jenna's adoption anniversary before got round to it and realized: a) would most likely be doing something, and b) would put plans on hold/incorporate our daughter if realized Nikki and I needed somewhere to send her. Which isn't fair. As much as know they love Josi, wouldn't expect them to do that.

"Hey, what about me? I could watch Josi for you this evening, if you like."

Uh oh, is newly-qualified pathologist Charlie, AKA Josi's partner in crime. Always very enthusiastic about looking after Joycelin, think secretly wants own child to dress up/play/cause havoc with. Never charges for her time (although Zak doesn't either, but still), happy to pick her up from ours/school/gymnastics/dancing/wherever, has even offered to have Josi overnight on several occasions. Trouble is, let her look after Joycelin last month when Nikki and I went to her parents' evening. Came home to find Charlie had put daughter to bed 2 hours after official bedtime, fed her excessive amounts of sweets, allowed her to watch The Apprentice with her on sofa, introduced her to N-Dubz music and painted her nails bright green and sparkly. On a school night. The green sparkly nail varnish being impossible to remove from tired, wriggly 8 year old hyped up on sugar's nails, therefore had to send her to school the following day half asleep and with outlawed nail varnish. Which certainly did nothing to help fix mine and Nikki's bad relationship with Miss Frazer, as established at parents' evening the night before.

No, is no way can let Charlie babysit. Under no circumstances; Nikki would kill me if agreed to let Charlie babysit.

On other hand, haven't got another option. And really do want to have proper look at house this evening- think might finally be the perfect one- which will be mission impossible with tired 8 year old in tow.

Oh, blow it.

"Would you, Charlie? That would be amazing, if you could."

"Of course I could, it's no problem, and she's as good as gold. What time's your house viewing?"

"Um, 7.30." Oh god, no going back now. Niks is going to kill me. Joycelin may be 'good as gold', but Charlie certainly isn't. "We're not entirely sure where we're going though, so would you mind getting to our place for 7? We'll have fed Josi by then and hopefully she'll have done her maths homework, so you'll just have to wind her down and get her into bed. Lights out at _8.30_, latest." Hopefully, if put extra emphasis on '8.30' part then Charlie might get message. Then again, maybe not.

**-9.36am **

"You did _what_?"

Uh oh, Nikki's reaction much as expected, only ever-so-slightly worse.

"I know, I know. But she was so enthusiastic, Nikki, I couldn't bring myself to say no. And this house looks like it could be perfect for us, we don't want to miss out on viewing it when there was a perfectly good babysitter available, we just didn't let her do the job."

"Perfectly good? Harry, don't you remember what happened last time we let Charlie watch Joycelin for the evening? She's enthusiastic, I'll give her that, but she's more of a naughty big sister than a responsible carer!" How is it that she manages to sound so angry even when whispering? Must be a talent of hers.

"Hey, she's not that bad, is she? And I've made Josi's bedtime quite clear to her this time, it'll be fine. Look, we're not going to be leaving until 7ish anyway, that gives us plenty of time to wear Josi out ourselves before Charlie even arrives; with any luck, she'll be in bed by 8 without complaint. It'll be fine. And even if it isn't, when this house turns out to be perfect and we start packing up to move in the New Year, we won't give a damn whether or not Josi got a decent night's sleep on December the 9th, will we? It'll be fine."

"I suppose." Still doesn't look convinced, though think reminder of viewing of potentially perfect house this evening has won her over. "Alright. But if Joycelin's knackered tomorrow morning, you're the one dragging her out of bed."

**-6.22pm**

"So Daddy?"

"Yes, darling?" Can tell from tone of darling daughter's voice is definitely wide awake, need to work harder at wearing her out in next hour. Or else will be wide awake and raring to cause chaos when Charlie arrives to babysit, which is recipe for disaster. Was hoping 2 ½ hours of summersaulting way along balance beam at gymnastics would sap the energy out of her, apparently not. Typical, normally collapses on sofa with no energy for maths homework after gymnastics, would choose today of all days to come home wide awake and full of energy.

"This house you and Mummy are going to see this evening; what's it like?"

"Well, we don't know that yet, darling, that's why we're going to see it."

"I know, but you must have some idea."

"OK, well… well, it's in a nice area, it's about 15 minutes away from here, I think, it's got a lovely big garden… Josi, can't I tell you about it tomorrow, once Mummy and I have actually seen it?"

"I suppose. But it's definitely got a garden?"

"Yep."

"So I can have a guinea pig?"

Ah, so that's why she's asking, we're back to the pet question again. Have managed to put off acquiring fluffy rodent thus far on grounds that living in apartment block, is one of the few downsides of moving into nice detached house on tucked-away housing estate, rather than slap bang outside Royal Albert Hall. That said, Joycelin is not quite as bad as Sara Laurence when it comes to pets, although there's not much in it. Not sure how much longer will be able to hold her off for once have nice spacious garden.

"Maybe, we'll have to think about it."

"What is there to think about? Guinea pigs are cute, they're fluffy, they're friendly, you can play with them…"

"I'm sure they are, darling, I'm sure they are. But what are we going to do with the thing when we go and visit Ouma and Auntie Sara and Uncle Pieter in Cape Town, hmm? We can hardly take a guinea pig with us in our hand luggage, can we?"

"Oh, don't worry Daddy, it's all arranged. Jasper's going to look after him for me when we're on holiday, and if he and Grandma and Granddad and Jenna and Jacob come with us, then Gracie and Ella have volunteered to be my back-up options."

"Right, I see." Why is it that 8 year old daughter is more organised than I am? "Well, how about we put this discussion on hold until Mummy and I have seen the house and decided we actually want to buy it, and then we'll think about the possibility of a pet, OK? Now come on, you need to finish your dinner, and then you've got homework to do before Charlie gets here."

"Don't like it."

"Well, don't let Mummy hear you saying that, will you? She probably spent ages cooking that for you. What is it, anyway?"

"Pasta and vegetables and tomato sauce. With courgette in it. And I don't like courgette, it's all slimy and horrible."

"Then pick out the courgette. I'm sure Mummy won't be offended if you eat the pasta and the other vegetables but leave the courgette. Will you, Mummy?"

"Hmm?" Nikki just rushed into kitchen with eyeliner pencil in one hand and odd shoes on, think is getting stressed about outfit choices. Don't understand her sometimes; doesn't seem to realize she looks beautiful whatever she wears.

"Josi's decided she doesn't like courgette today…"

"No, I've never liked courgette!"

"OK, well Josi doesn't like courgette, I was just telling her that you won't be offended if she picks that out but eats everything else."

"No, that's fine, just leave it, darling. Sorry, I forgot." Looks rather stressed, seems to be effect house hunting has on her. God only knows what she's going to be like once we're there if she's like this before we've even left apartment. "Left foot or right foot?"

"Umm…?" Both look the same to me, haven't got the foggiest. Fiancé has far too many pairs of shoes.

"Left one, Mummy. That one's a better height to go with your dress."

Ehhh?

"Thanks, that's what I thought. OK. Right, back in a minute."

Ehh? Huh? Suddenly feel very, very male.

**-7.02pm**

Ohhh, doorbell, Charlie must be here to babysit.

"Niks, Charlie's here! Josi?"

"Hmm?"

"Right sweetheart, Mummy and I are off to look at this house now, so Charlie's going to stay here with you and we'll be back an about an hour, alright?" Better open door actually, might help if let said babysitter in. "Hi Charlie."

"Hi Harry! Hi Josi!" Oh god, sounds far too excited, Joycelin will be hyper in minutes.

"Thank you so much for this, Charlie, we really appreciate it. Right, Nikki and I are going to make a move in a minute, but Josi's all ready for bed, if you could just keep her calm and wind her down for an hour or so and then pack her off to bed if we're not back by 8, that would be fantastic. There's food in the kitchen, help yourself to coffee, just don't give Joycelin any or getting her off to sleep will be a nightmare. Same goes with sweets."

"OK, sure. We'll be fine, won't we, Josi? We're going to have a great time!"

Not sure I like the sound of that.

**-8.09pm**

On way home now, actually quite excited. House was exactly what we're looking for: nice big garden (with plenty of room for rabbit hutch, though won't be telling daughter that part), decent sized spare bedroom, detached, located on nice housing estate few minutes' walk away from Leo and Janet's, plus not too far from Lyell centre and Josi's school. Perfect. Now all we need to do is make sure put in highest bid.

**-8.10pm**

And hope and pray Charlie's lain off the sugar and age-inappropriate TV programmes and put Josi to bed on time.


	10. Tuesday 10th December 2019

**Happy 10****th****, sorry it's a bit early but I'm dancing tomorrow morning, need to sleep :) Thank you so so much Amy, Emma, and Lizzi for reviewing the last chapter, you guys are beyond brilliant. Seriously. And it's the weekend now, so I can get on top of this and get up another Conclusions in Cape Town chapter Saturday evening, then hopefully, a salty tears update on Sunday :) **

**Don't forget to press the review button! **

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Tuesday 10****th**** December 2019**

**Nikki's Diary**

**6.14pm**

"Mummy?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Do you think my shoebox will go to Vietnam?"

"I doubt it." Daughter's teacher has decided at last possible moment that this year 4F are going to each fill a shoe box with toys/stationary/sweets etc. for Samaritans Purse campaign to be sent as Christmas presents to children in Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Is lovely idea, but a little more notice wouldn't have hurt. Had to give up whole afternoon off to trek around shops in search of small, cheap pens, notebooks, stuffed animals and what-not for Josi to fill newly-decorated shoebox with. Somehow, don't think Miss Frazer has children of her own.

"Why?"

"Well, because the charity that sends the shoeboxes off to children for Christmas is a Christian charity, and Vietnam's a Buddhist country. Most Vietnamese children probably don't even celebrate Christmas."

"Oh, OK. So if it won't go to Vietnam, do you think it might go to South Africa?"

"Maybe, I'm not sure. But wherever it ends up, it's for a good cause, isn't it? I don't think it really matters where it goes."

"No, not really. Mummy?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you help me with my maths homework?" Ah, that's why she's spending so long beautifully organising the shoebox, is because she's trying to delay starting her maths homework. Josi not huge fan of maths, will have to learn to love it if is serious about being an anthropologist. God, sound like pushy parent. Poor child is still only 8, has whole 10 years ahead of her before has to worry about that sort of thing.

"Yep, course I will. What is it you're doing?"

"Ratio and proportion. And it's really hard. And I can't do it!"

"Yes, you can." Have learnt over the years that best tactic with Josi and maths is unwavering optimism, otherwise she manages to talk herself out of it before she even starts. "Right, come on then. How many questions have you done?"

"None of them." Is pouting now, think she's dangerously close to giving up. "Mummy, it's too difficult!"

"No it's not, you'll see. Right, read me the first question."

"'Frank has 20 apples. For every 1 red apple, he has 3 green apples. How many green apples does he have?"

"Right, OK. So where do you start?"

Uh oh, not a good question to ask her. Is now staring at homework sheet with blank, panicked look on face, clearly doesn't have a clue. Never mind, have cunning plan.

"OK, scrap that, we're going to do it visually. Wait there!" Definitely packet of marshmallows in back of cupboard somewhere; will use them. Think visualisation might be the key here.

Got them.

"Right, we're going to forget about red and green apples and use pink and white marshmallows instead, OK? Now, how many marshmallows are there in total?"

"Umm… 20."

"OK. So however many pink marshmallows and white marshmallows we have, we can't have more than 20 in total. Agreed?"

"Ja."

"Good. So, we'll use the pink marshmallows as red apples; for each pink marshmallow, how many white marshmallows do we want?"

"3."

"Yep, good girl. So take a pink marshmallow, and we need to put that with 3 white ones in a group there, see. Now, in that group, we've got 3 white marshmallows for the one pink marshmallow, haven't we? So how many marshmallows are there in total?"

"4."

"Well done. Now remember, we can't have more than 20 marshmallows in total, and we want to keep them in that ratio, 1 pink to 3 white, in groups of 4. So we need to times 4 by another number to get to 20, OK? So, how many times does 4 go into 20?"

"5?"

"Very good."

"So that means there are 5 pink marshmallows?"

"Yep. See, you can do this! But the question's asking you how many white marshmallows Frank has in total, remember, not how many pink. So now we know how many pink marshmallows there are, how can we work out the number of pink ones?"

"Umm… times 3 by 5?"

"We could do. Or there's an easier way."

"Take away 5 from 20?"

"Good girl. So what's that?"

"15?"

"That sounds about right, doesn't it? But why don't you check, just to be sure, you can count out 5 sets of 1 pink marshmallow and 3 white marshmallows and add them up to make sure we've got the right answer, OK?"

"OK. So when I've done that, can I eat the pink ones?"

Damn, so should have seen that one coming.

"Not now. But you can have a couple when you've finished all the questions, if you've got almost all of them right, OK? As a reward."

"Can't I have one now? I think I'm starting to get the hang of ratios, and I couldn't do them at all earlier, so I've obviously been working really hard!"

"Yes, for all of 5 minutes! Alright, one. But no more until you've finished all of those questions, Josi. I mean it!"

**-8.12pm**

Phew, maths homework successfully negotiated, book bag packed for school tomorrow and violin music on kitchen table so can't be forgotten for lesson tomorrow. Now just need to actually get Josi into bed, before will have nice quiet flat to self. Not expecting Harry home for a while yet, has just texted to say is caught up in something nasty. Don't envy him at all, looks positively freezing outside. Will be kind, thoughtful, loving fiancé and do him hot chocolate with remainder of maths-equipment marshmallows when gets in, know is his favourite. Once have gotten daughter off to sleep.

**-8.13pm**

"Right, come on Josi, bed. It's late, sweetheart, you're going to be tired tomorrow."

Grrr. Bedroom empty, thought she'd been in bed reading Harry Potter for at least 20 minutes by now.

"Joycelin, come on please!"

"Mummy?" Sounds considerably distressed actually, something definitely wrong. "Mummy, I can't find Ollie!"

Oh god. Ollie is Josi's toy elephant, has had him since she was a baby and can't sleep without him. Is no way am going to be able to get her into bed until Ollie has been found. Probably more than life's worth to make her try.

"OK, darling, I'm just coming!" Think she must be in living room.

**-8.14pm**

Yep, is peering down back of sofa with Hello Kitty torch, if wasn't in mad panic over Ollie the missing stuffed elephant, would find it quite cute.

"Mummy, I can't find him!" Think she's overtired, too, probably not helping matters. Charlie insists she put her to bed at bang on 8pm last evening after extra-long story, though judging by scattering of DVDs across living room floor and empty sweet packets in bin, am not convinced.

"Josi, don't panic, we'll find him. Where did you have him last?"

"Umm… I can't remember!"

Think, Nikki, think. Am sure she had him earlier when doing maths homework, think he was sitting on top of piano about an hour ago when Josi was clearing My Little Ponies off floor. Then sent her for bath, took her through to mine and Harry's room to dry her hair…

**-8.15pm**

DRESSING TABLE!

"Josi, hold on one second, I think I know where he is!"

**-8.16pm**

Phew, got him.

"Josi, it's alright! Panic over, I've found him!"

"Thank you!" Looks considerably relieved, though very much doubt is as relieved as I am. "Thank you, Mummy! Where was he?"

"On my dressing table, I think you left him there when I was drying your hair after your bath, remember?"

"Oops."

"Yep, that's one way of putting it. Now come on, darling, it's bedtime."

**-10.58pm**

Ohhh, think can finally hear footsteps in hallway, about time, too. Poor Harry, know was at outside crime scene, if has only just got back now, most likely hasn't been back to Lyell Centre, therefore must be freezing. Have already measured out hot chocolate powder and remaining marshmallows (all white, pink ones consumed by Josi after maths homework), just need to stick kettle on.

"Nikki?"

"In the kitchen!" Probably shouldn't be shouting, will wake Josi up and have to give her hot chocolate too, sugar rush will wake her up and will be nightmare trying to get her back to bed. Damn, better be quiet now.

**-10.59pm**

Poor Harry, looks freezing. And tired. And miserable, is probably bad combination of tough case and horrible weather. Hug is definitely required.

"Difficult case?"

"You could say that. 14 year old girl found dead in a children's playground."

Don't really know what to say to that. Don't think really need to say anything to that, some things are simply too horrible to put into words. Will settle for tighter hug instead, though not sure even that can make things much better. That sort of case is always the worst.

"You didn't have to wait up for me, you know."

"I know, but I wanted to. It's not that late, anyway." Would only have been cold if had gone to bed without Harry, use him as hot water bottle at this time of year.

"It that hot chocolate?"

"Only if you want it. We've got whipped cream and marshmallows too, though I'm afraid Josi ate all the pink ones while we were doing her maths homework."

"You let her eat half a packet of marshmallows?" Look of amusement on his face is priceless.

"Hey, I didn't let her! I was using them to explain ratios, I told her she could have a few of them once she'd finished and before I had a chance to stop her she'd scoffed all the pink ones." Well, most of them. Might just have helped her out a bit.

"Right. Of course."

"She did! So, hot chocolate in bed?"

"That, Dr Alexander, is quite possibly the best idea I've heard all day."


	11. Wednesday 11th December 2019

**Think this one might be a bit OTT cheesy in parts, but hey, it's Christmas, right? :) It just had to be done. Credit is due to James Corden for the Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special and a certain scene which inspired this chapter- comedy genius :P And thank you so much to Amy, Lizzi and Em for your reviews- you never fail to make me smile :) Haven't finished writing the 12****th**** just yet, so your feedback from this one is extra important!**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Wednesday 11****th**** December 2019**

**Leo's Diary**

**-9.49am**

"Harry! Harry, there's no way you're putting that there!"

"Why not? It's Christmas, Nikki, live a little!"

"Because this is a working environment, Harry, and that thing's a distraction waiting to happen!"

"Well, bah humbug to you, too!"

"Oi, I am so not being scroogy about this! I just know you well enough to know exactly what's going to happen if I let you hang that thing in my office!"

"I think you'll find that's _our_ office, Dr Alexander! Mine and yours, meaning we have to compromise in terms of festive decorations!"

"Yes, and I'm compromising by allowing the giant inflatable polar in the window! Tell him, Leo!"

"Tell him what?" Working with Harry and Nikki is like working with squabbling children at times, think own actual children have less disagreements. Then again, seems light-hearted enough, will indulge them for time being. Is Christmas, after all.

"Tell Harry that under no circumstances can he hang a sprig of mistletoe slap bang above the doorway!"

"Oh Leo, come on! It's Christmas, mistletoe is practically compulsory!"

"True, but I know exactly what will happen if I let you two have mistletoe in your office, Harry! You'll never get any work done!"

"You're just jealous you and Janet don't share an office to hang mistletoe in!"

"That, Harry, has absolutely nothing to do with it! Nothing at all!"

"Sure it hasn't." Can see smirk on Harry's face, perhaps am slightly more obvious than first thought.

"No, it hasn't! I'm only thinking of you two, it's almost Christmas, and I'd hate for you to have to stay extra late all this week to finish your paperwork because you've spent your actual working hours… snogging under the mistletoe!"

"Thank you, Leo! See, Harry, at least someone's talking sense! Hang on… did you just say 'snogging'?"

"So what if I did?" Think Nikki thinks am good 20 years older than actually am at times, find slightly insulting. And rather amusing.

"Oh, liven up you two, it's Christmas!" Harry seems to be fully entered into festive spirit now, just know am not going to get anything useful out of him today. And most likely not out of Nikki either, if mistletoe is staying.

"Go on, then, we'll see how it goes. But one late report and I'm pulling down that mistletoe and confiscating that inflatable polar bear. I mean it!"

"Whatever you say, Mr Scrooge. Whatever you say."

**-10.02am**

"_It's CHRISTMAS!"_

Good god, what is that racket? Ohhh, actually, think do know what it is. Slade have a lot to answer for.

"Harry! Harry, it's only the 11th of December, for goodness sake, it's far too early for Christmas music!"

Actually, coming to think of it, is now exactly 2 weeks until Christmas Day, so perhaps not too early for cheesy Christmas music after all. Think Harry and Nikki might be right, am slowly but surely turning into Ebenezer Scrooge. Only younger.

"Oh Leo, come on! OK, so the mistletoe might be a tiny bit distracting, I'll give you that, but what's wrong with Christmas music? We have the radio on in here all the time, why do we have to turn it off just because a Christmas track comes on before it's actually Christmas Day? You have to admit, December just wouldn't be December without over-the-top feel-good pop music."

"True, true. But I know where this is going, Harry. Any minute now the Band Aid song's going to come on, and then you're going to gather all the technicians together and…"

"Oh come on, Leo, it is a Lyell Centre tradition! We always have a sing-along to the Band Aid song the first time we play Christmas music in here, it wouldn't be the same without it!" Oh dear, even Nikki on Harry's side now, am definitely turning into grumpy, miserly old man. Think am going to have to allow annual Lyell Centre sing-song Gavin and Stacey-style to go ahead as usual just to prove still have ounce of Christmas spirit in me.

"Fine, but _please_ Harry, try and keep it low-key this year, hmm? Last year it was over an hour before the technicians calmed down enough to prep the cutting room."

**-10.21am**

"LEO! LEO, IT'S STARTING!"

"Alright, I'll be there in a minute!" Christmas sing-song will have to wait until have finished drafting email to coroner, will lose trail of thought if stop now.

"_It's Christmas time, there's no need to be afraid!"_

"_At Christmas time, we let in light and we banish shade!"_

Ahh, maybe will have to give up for couple of minutes until this is over, is no way can concentrate with Harry's out-of-tune wailing in the background. Note to self: invest in ear plugs in time for next Christmas.

"_And in our world of plenty, we can spread a smile of joy!_

COME ON NIKKI, PUT THE SCAPEL DOWN!

_Throw your arms around the world, at Christmas time!"_

Office walls starting to vibrate now, should probably tell Harry to turn it down before complaints come in from China. Then again, would only turn it up louder, is like overexcited child and stubborn teenager merged into one at Christmas.

"_But say a prayer, pray for the other ones!_

_At Christmas time it's hard, but when you're having fun…!_

LEO!

_There's a world outside your window, and it's a world of dread and fear!_

_Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears!"_

Zak, that was my foot!

_Where the Christmas bells that are ringing, are the clanging chimes of doom!_

_Well, tonight thank God it's them instead of you!"_

Uh oh, out of tune singing getting louder, think they must be heading for office. Severely tempted to lock the door before warbling mob of pathologists and technicians doing the conga descend. Though is not really Christmas spirit, best not. Love them dearly, but drive me mad at this time of year.

"_And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time!_

_The greatest gift they'll get this year is life!_

_Ohhh…"_

Ouch, terrible tuning, surprised windows haven't shattered in protest.

"_Where nothing ever grows, no rain or rivers flow,_

_Do they know it's Christmas time at all?_

_Duh, da da da, duh, da da da daa…"_

Owwww, painful, ears in agony.

"_Here's to you, raise a glass for everyone, _

_Here's to them, underneath that burning sun!_

_Do they know it's Christmas time at all?_

COME ON, LEO, YOU'RE MISSING IT!"

Hmm, have two options: either can cover ears, brace self, cling to desk chair with all might and count down the remaining seconds of 'Do they know it's Christmas?' whilst singing loudly over the top, or can embrace over-the-top festive madness and make complete idiot of self along with colleagues.

Sod it.

"_Feed the world, let them know it's Christmas time again!_

_Feed the world, let them know it's Christmas time again!"_


	12. Thursday 12th December 2019

**Only 13 days to go! Thank you so much to my incredible 6 reviewers from the last chapter- Dinabar, Lizzi, hopelesslyhalfhearted (seen your update but haven't had the time to read properly yet, will review when I do!), Emma, Amy and Charlotte (again, will drop you a review when I find the time to read your update, can't wait :) Again, haven't quite finished tomorrow's chapter yet, so reviews would be amazing as ever :) **

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Thursday 12****th**** December 2019**

**Harry's Diary**

**-7.31am**

"So, Josi?" Starting a conversation with daughter is not great idea at this point of school run if actually want to get there on time, but Nikki and I forgot to mention this to her yesterday evening, so am going to have to risk it. If end up dropping her off late to school and therefore being late to work, am going to have to accept full responsibility.

"Hmm?" Uh oh, has put down spoon, not a good sign. Might have to give her cereal bar in car on the way to school at this rate.

"How would you like to come with Mummy and me to see this house we're thinking of buying this evening?" Not really sure why am phrasing it as a question; is more of a 'Josi, you're coming to look at a house with Mummy and me tonight, like it or lump it.' Think might have been hoping would sound slightly less hostile and 'do-as-we-say-or-else.' Even though Nikki and I are going to drag her house hunting this even whether she likes it or not.

Looks like is contemplating now, surely is way too young to be able to run through social commitments in head? Thought that didn't kick in until teenage years, earliest.

"That would depend on what time you want to go. Because it's the dress rehearsal for my dance show tonight until 6, and I'll need to be home in time to eat my dinner and learn my spelling before bed. Or, of course, you could move my bedtime forward an hour or so, and then I'd have much more flexibility."

I take it back.

"Well, I don't think that's going to be necessary darling. We'll pick you up from your rehearsal at 6 and take you straight to see this house, we won't be more than half an hour, Mummy and I can help you learn your spellings in the car on the way there and back, and you'll be home in plenty of time to make it to bed by 8. Does that sound doable?"

"What if the dress rehearsal overruns?"

"Then you'll have to look round the house as a sugar plum fairy." Ah, thank goodness for fiancé and quick comebacks. Haven't actually seen Joycelin in full sugar plum fairy attire yet, though am willing to bet is ridiculously cute.

"Won't the people who live there at the moment laugh at me?"

"I'm sure they've seen worse. Right, are you going to eat the rest of that, or are you just playing with it?"

"Just playing with it." Grrr, such a waste of food. Though know from experience that trying to persuade her to finish her Weetabix is only going to make all of us at least 10 minutes late. Therefore not worth it.

"I thought so. Well, in that case, why don't you get rid of it and go and brush your teeth, hmm? Or else we're going to be late."

"But it's only 7.30! That's not late, that's early for us! I don't have to be at school for a whole hour yet!"

"I know darling, but this is what happens every morning, isn't it? We always manage to run to schedule until around 8ish, and then… well, I don't really know what happens then. But suddenly it's 8.15 and you're still nowhere near ready to leave." Time seems to just disappear in the mornings, cannot seem to work out how no matter how hard try. Can't remember it being this bad when was just Nikki and self on the work run in the mornings, perhaps should blame Joycelin? Is an 8 year old mature enough to take responsibility for own time management on school mornings, or are their parents still to blame if they aren't out of the door on time? Probably.

"True. Daddy? You know tomorrow night, when you and Mummy are going out to your party?"

"Yep." Is Lyell Centre Christmas party tomorrow night, AKA, whole evening of bad singing and dancing to Christmas classics, party food and plenty of alcohol- heaven.

"Is Charlie going to babysit again?"

"No darling, Charlie works with Mummy and me, doesn't she, so she's going to the party with us."

"Oh, OK. So who's going to look after me?"

"We're going to leave you here with a microwave meal and a DVD, you'll be fine."

"What?" Looks ever-so-slightly panic-stricken, is priceless.

"Oh Josi, I'm joking! Nana's going to come round to look after you while Mummy and I are out, then I think she's going to stay over, and then on Saturday we're all going Christmas shopping in the morning before your dance show."

"And you and Mummy and Nana are coming to watch?"

"Yep, that's the plan. OK?"

"OK. Daddy? What's typhoid?"

"Typhoid?" Will never understand how minds of 8 year olds work; seem to be able to flit from one topic of conversation to another in matter of nanoseconds. "Where did you come across that word?"

"Umm… I think it was in History."

"Right. So it wasn't from Charlie, then?"

"No!" Daughter is rubbish liar.

"Right. Well…" Oh god, is getting on for 8 now, how did that happen? "Tell you what, how about we revisit that one later, hey? Or we really are going to be late." Uh oh, now she's moved her Harry Potter book off the table, can see science homework sheet Niks left there yesterday evening for her to write her name on.

"Hang on, Josi! You need to write your name on your homework before you go!"

"Oh, oops. I haven't got a pen."

"I'll get you one."

"Thank you. Daddy? When you and Mummy get married, am I going to add your surname onto the end of my name?"

"Umm…" Haven't actually thought that far ahead yet, haven't even booked venue for said wedding, despite having planned to get married in Easter holidays next year. "I don't know, we'll have to discuss it with Mummy. Is that what you want to do?"

"I'm not sure… I don't think so, no."

"Oh, OK. Right." Oh. Feel bit funny, sort of… rejected.

"It's nothing personal, Daddy. I'd like to. But I can barely fit my name onto the tiny line at the top of these homework sheets as it is, so I think 'Joycelin Alexander-Cunningham' might be pushing it, don't you think?"

Wow, she's good.

**-6.08pm**

Grrr, just knew dance teacher would choose today to overrun, typical. Have been standing outside in freezing cold waiting for signs of life from front entrance for almost 20 minutes; made crucial mistake of getting here early in hope of whisking daughter off to look at house. No such luck. Nikki been shivering for approximately 17 of 18 minutes have spent standing outside; have no sympathy, told her to bring a coat. Who goes out without a coat in December, for goodness sake?

**-6.10pm**

Still no signs of life from theatre entrance, starting to feel just a little bit sorry for fiancé. Not sure am prepared to give up nice warm coat though, will have to settle for cuddle.

And will think about lending her my coat if still no sign of Joycelin by quarter past.

**-6.13pm**

Oh blow it, feel guilty, she's clearly freezing. Will put own coat round her shoulders on basis can steal her scarf in couple of minutes. Even though is lilac. And positively feminine.

"Harry, are you sure?"

"Actually, no, I don't think I am, I'll have that back if it's all the same. Nikki, don't be stupid, of course I'm sure, you're going to freeze otherwise."

"So now _you're_ going to freeze."

"No I'm not, I'm fine." Actually a bit nippy, though not telling Nikki that, would be handing coat back in seconds. "Josi's not going to be long now, anyway." Not totally convinced of that, but never mind. Maybe if tell myself will only be another couple of minutes, time will go faster.

Then again, maybe not.

**-6.25pm**

Ah, at last. Toes just beginning to go numb.

"Hey, you. What took you so long? Mummy and I have been freezing to death out here!"

"I know, it took ages! We had a lot of technical difficulties, whoever was doing the music kept putting on the wrong track at the wrong time, so we all had to wait for them to sort it out, which took ages. They should be fired. Daddy, will you carry my bag for me?"

"Oh, I don't know about that! How heavy is it?"

"Well, I think it's very heavy, but I'm… I'm… less than half your height, so I'm not as strong as you, so to you it's probably not very heavy at all. So surely you should carry it for me?"

"Good answer, go on then." Daughter is ridiculously sharp when it comes to this sort of thing, according to Martha Manduna is exactly like Nikki was at that age. If true, think feel even more sorry for Nikki's mother than do for self in terms of coming up with clever comebacks/outsmarting her.

"So are we going to see this house now?"

"Yep, we're just going to drop in on the way home. And Mummy and I have very kindly brought your spellings out with us, so you can be learning them in the car on the way there and they'll be no need to go to bed late."

Could swear she just rolled her eyes. "Why are parents so obsessed with homework and bedtimes?"

"I'll take that as a 'thank you very much,' shall I?"

"If you like, but I didn't mean it that way."

"I know you didn't, darling. It was sarcasm."

"What's sarcasm?"

"I'll tell you in the car, OK? After we've learnt your spellings."


	13. Friday 13th December 2019

**Sorry sorry sorry, I know this is late! It's still the 13****th****, but it's later than I usually put these up. But I have been ill, does that count as an excuse? :( Not done much writing today, but have located Nikki's flat on google maps- if anyone's interested, the post code's SW7 2QT :P I know, I know, I have no life. :) **

**Thank you so much Amy, Lizzi and Dinabar for your amazing reviews, as ever, so glad you guys are enjoying this and thank you for your feedback :) Amy- trouble is, I think it might take over my life! Though I have got a few oneshots planned to be written in this style- just need to finish off my other 4 fics first! **

**The next chapter will be here as soon as possible, either tomorrow morning or evening, depending on how quickly I get back on top of it. But it will definitely be tomorrow, promise! Otherwise that would kinda defeat the object :)**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Friday 13****th**** December 2019**

**Nikki's Diary**

**-3.54am**

"Mummy? M-m-mummy?"

Eugh, tired, too early. Can't she wait until the morning?

"Mummy?"

Actually, second thoughts, sounds upset. Really upset. Perhaps had better force self to wake up after all, can't stand to see her like that.

"What is it, Josi?" Too dark to be sure, but looks like she's been crying. Hmm, need to focus, eyesight really isn't what it was.

Yep, definitely crying. Poor baby, had a few of these moments over last few years, pretty sure know what's wrong.

"Bad dream?"

"Mm hmm." Want to turn on bedside light and talk to her properly, think light might calm her down a little, though know will wake Harry in process. Which wouldn't be fair.

"Want to talk about it?"

Is shaking head firmly now, will take that as a definite 'no'. Want her to talk about whatever it is that's upsetting her really, will get her back to sleep much quicker if know what to say to reassure her. Then again, pushing her too hard at this time of night is likely to have disastrous consequences.

"You sure?"

"I don't want to!"

"OK. That's OK, shhh, you don't have to, it's over now. But Josi, listen: it was just a dream, darling, it's not real. It was just a horrible, horrible dream, that's all. Nothing bad is going to happen, _malaika_, I promise. Do you want to sleep in here tonight?"

Slow nod, think is calming down a bit. Poor little thing, really, really hate it when she's upset. Always feel just a little bit like have failed when she's this upset, even though know as much as would love to be able to act as daughter's own personal dream catcher, sadly do not have that ability. Will have to settle for cuddle instead.

"OK, come on, then. But just for tonight."

"Mummy?"

"Hmm?"

"Love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart. Now come on, back to sleep."

**-10.47am**

Ugh, am shattered, blame Joycelin for waking me up in middle of night, then hogging duvet when let her sleep down middle of mine and Harry's bed. And for wriggling excessively. And spreading herself width-ways along bed until left arm and leg went completely numb. Still, is sort of sacrifice have to make for children, love her very much really. Just think might have preferred sharing a bed with her when she was still 2 months old and tiny. Although, on plus side, at least no longer have to worry about rolling over and squashing her.

**-10.51am**

Right, must stop wasting time doodling now, have a million other useful things could be doing right now. Will go and make self extra-strong coffee to wake self up, then make phone call to Hayley the estate agent to let her know Harry and self want to put in offer for house while waiting for DNA results to come through. And for Harry, Leo and Charlie to get back from court hearings and crime scenes respectively- Lyell Centre rather quiet without them.

**-11.04am**

Right, have spoken to Hayley the estate agent, Harry and self are going to meet her tomorrow afternoon to decide what offer to put in for house. No other interested parties just yet apparently, so hopefully will be accepted. Now just need to find buyer for apartment and convince Josi that can recreate current bedroom in new, bigger bedroom, right down to very last detail.

**-11.32am**

Ah, only another hour to go, love working part time. Get to look after daughter self rather than carting her off to child minder every evening but still get daily fix of PMs and crime scenes and blood and gore- perfect. Plus, is extra useful today, as means have whole afternoon to get ready for Lyell Centre Christmas Party, rather than getting changed in mad rush in ladies' toilets like last year. Not fun. No, this year will have plenty of time for nice relaxing bath, doing make up properly and consulting Josi for fashion advice, ie. will arrive at party calm and relaxed and able to fully enjoy experience. God, sound like Bridget Jones.

**-12.17pm**

Ohhh, raised voices coming from corridor, think Harry and Leo must be back. Company at last, is just my luck that they show up within 10 minutes of end of work for today. Then again, could always stay a bit longer and finish writing report, is not like am in mega-rush to get home. Am not overly keen on idea of working way through giant pile of ironing on living room floor.

**-12.18pm**

"… I'm just saying, Leo, I don't know how you managed it, it wasn't as if it was particularly steep or anything! No one else slipped over, did they?"

"Well, no one else was on the same side of that ditch, were they, Harry? I'll have you know that my patch of the mud was much, much slipperier!"

Ohhh, can just imagine what this one's about. "What was that, Leo? Have you been mud wrestling with DSI Mumford again?"

Ha, brilliant, am being given death glare by fed up-looking Leo, caked from head to toe in mud. Priceless, only wish had a video camera to hand.

"It was an accident! Harry and I were called out to another crime scene after our meeting, in the middle of a woodland area in the middle of nowhere, and the body turned out to be abandoned in a buddy great ditch, so we had to perch on the edge of it to examine the body, and…"

"And you fell in on top of it?" Can barely contain laughter, the 'it's-really-not-funny-so-stop-laughing-at-me-or-else' look on Leo's face only makes it all the more hilarious.

"Head first, Nikki, it was brilliant! I think he's getting old!"

"Oi, I'm not that old, Harry!"

"Sure you're not. You are going to change before the Christmas party, right Leo? I'm not sure Janet's going to be too keen about dancing round the Christmas tree with you looking like that!"

**-2.57pm**

Grrr, hate rush to pick up daughter from school on Friday afternoons, is complete and utter chaos. Especially towards end of term when parents just want to pick up kids and get home ASAP. Parking is going to be a bloody nightmare.

**-3.06pm**

"Sorry Josi, I got stuck in traffic, sweetheart, I got here as soon as I could." Is being last parent to pick up daughter on Friday afternoon a sign of being a bad parent? Probably.

"That's OK, I was on the climbing frame with Ella. Mummy?"

"Hmm?"

"I've got a project to do over the Christmas holidays."

Oh brilliant. "Have you, darling? What's it on?" What kind of teacher gives a class of 8 and 9 year olds homework over the Christmas holidays? And how are parents such as Harry and self, who are going away with daughter for almost entirety of holiday, supposed to find time to make said child sit down and do it? Am going to murder the woman next time I see her.

"Well, we're doing journalism in Literacy next term, so Miss Frazer says we all have to interview a relative who's had an… an… an interesting life. Who aren't our parents, because Miss Frazer says that's very unoriginal. And then we have to write it up as notes and take it into school on the first day back so we can write biographs."

"You mean biographies?"

"Umm… maybe. So anyway, have we got any relatives who've had an interesting life who I can interview?"

Oh god.

"Well… there's… I think we'll have to have a brainstorm with Daddy over this one, won't we?"

"OK. But who are the possibilities?"

"Umm…" Oh god, completely stumped, clearly have given daughter most boring family in history of boring families. Actually, no, not strictly true: just can't think of any actual blood relatives with interesting story for journalism project. Unless count own father; maybe Josi could write article on pathetic excuse of a grandfather's life of lies, deception, breaking hearts, crime, fraud and abduction by association? Hmm, maybe not. Own mother would have been great for this sort of thing, unfortunately, is not around anymore. And no one from Harry's side of family springs to mind as having lived particularly interesting life. Damn, knew should have gotten engaged to Collin Firth.

"I don't know, darling, we'll think about it, OK?" Ohhh, brainwave. "Does it have to be an actual blood relative? Has Auntie Sara ever told you about the relief work she did in the DRC in the 90s? That might make an interesting journalist project." If cut out some of the more gruesome details, that is."

"I'm not sure, Miss Frazer didn't say. What's the DCR?"

"DRC, Josi, it's the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It's a country in central Africa that's had some… problems over the years." Actually, now come to think of it, not sure this is such a good idea. "Or, of course, you could have a chat to Nana about it when she comes over to look after you this evening…"

"No, I think the Dem…Demat… the Congo thing would be really interesting! Is that the same Congo Uncle Pieter always complains about when we go to visit?"

Hmm? Very confused.

"Not sure, darling, what exactly does he say?"

"Well, last time he said: 'that's the trouble with the bloody Congo, the presidents make a complete mess of the place and allow…. Allow… civical war to break out, the young girls all get put through bloody shit at the hands of inhuman arseholes and flee to South Africa, and then their problems become South Africa's problems, half of them end up dead on street corners and then it all becomes my mess to sort out.' Which is partly why he's thinking of retiring next year and getting back into semi-professional surfing. Though Auntie Sara says those days may be gone. Oh, and he usually says something about AIDs. Mummy, what is AIDs? He never really explained."

Am so going to kill Pieter Lamprecht when next see him.

**-5.28pm**

"Harry! Harry, your mother's here, I'm ready to go, please tell me you've actually gotten changed!"

"Yep, just coming!" Hmm, will see about that. Told him to stop building Lego airplane with Josi and start getting ready for party whole 40 minutes ago, yet only got up from sofa at 20 past 5. Typical man.

"Hi Anne! Thanks so much for this."

"Oh, you're welcome Nikki, it's a pleasure. Josi's no trouble."

"So are you staying over? Harry and I are probably going to be back quite late."

"If that's OK, then yes please. And you and Harry are sure you don't want a lift there? I could probably come and pick you up too, if you don't mind Josi being an hour or so late to bed."

"Umm… it's going to be a bit later than that, really. We'll get a taxi, don't worry about us" Love Mrs C very much, though cannot help but laugh at her naivety concerning this sort of thing. Think in her mind, only son and self are off to birthday party-style event, complete with pass the parcel and jelly and ice cream.

"Oh, OK then, if you're sure. Anyway, what's all this I hear about a house?"

**-9.02pm**

"Harry, please! It'll be fun!"

"What?" Fiancé looks genuinely shocked, is quite amusing. "For you, maybe! But not for me! Why would I want to embarrass myself in front of my work colleagues by dancing with you to Mariah Carey's high-pitched wailing, when I could be enjoying the excellent food and wine these events always have to offer? Hey, maybe we should get the name of the caterers for the wedding!"

"Oi, stop trying to change the subject! Come on, Harry, you did it last year, remember?"

"No, actually, I don't! Because last year you dragged me onto the dance floor at getting on for midnight, by which point I'd had so much sherry I was drunk as a skunk and had no control over myself, hence the terrible dancing! And I still haven't lived that one down!"

"Exactly. So this year you can redeem yourself by dancing to Mariah Carey with me, only slightly drunk and in full control of your two left feet!"

"Nikki! Do I have to?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"Because you love me. And it's Christmas, it wouldn't be Christmas at the Lyell Centre without bad dancing to All I Want For Christmas Is You. And if you don't, I'll dance with Brendon instead."

"Who's Brendon?"

"The new, young, fit lab technician." Ha, got him.

"Oi! I'm fit, aren't I? I go running!"

"True, true. But come on, Mr Scrooge, it's only a couple of minutes. And I did go to that air show with you 2 weekends ago. In the freezing cold."

"Oh go on then. But only if you can promise me it's not the Justin Bieber collaboration."

_I just want you for my own,_

_More than you could ever know,_

_Make my wish come true,_

_All I want for Christmas is you. _

_Mariah Carey, All I Want For Christmas Is You._


	14. Saturday 14th December 2019

**Really, really sorry, had the day from hell and as a result this is really late :( It's still the 14****th****, but it's late, and I'm really sorry :( But the good news is that it's my last day of college tomorrow before Christmas, and I get to go home early so tomorrow's chapter should be much earlier than this one. Sorry again :( Thank you so much, Izzy, Amy, Lizzi and Hopelesslyhalfhearted for reviewing and being generally amazing, and to my little sister Julietta, who helped me get an 8 year old perspective on this one :) And I promise to update faster tomorrow if you all review! **

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Saturday 14****th**** December 2019**

**Joycelin's Diary**

**-8.34am**

Hmm, just after 8.30, is there any point going back to sleep? Parents won't be surfacing for at least another hour due to late night at office Christmas party last night and almost certainly bad overhanger things (or whatever it's called), and don't think Nana does mornings at the weekend, so must have whole apartment to self. Perfect. No, definitely no point going back to sleep when feel wide awake and can do whatever like for at least an hour. Where to start?

**-8.36am**

OK, decided. Off to find something by way of breakfast, then might dig out Playmobil Egyptian pyramid and recreate archaeological dig. Or check to see if either Jasper or Anouk are on Skype. Mummy and Daddy really need to be more inventive with log-on passwords- family account really is far too easy to hack into.

**-8.40am**

Coco pops or pancakes? Hmm, difficult decision. Think will have to go with the coco pops, less chance of setting off the smoke alarm and waking parents. And less mess.

**-8.41am**

Are coco pops and strawberry milkshake together too much sugar? Probably, don't think Mummy and Daddy would approve. Oh well.

**-8.49am**

Jasper, Anouk and co. all apparently too busy lying in to go on Skype, will settle for Plan A: Egyptian pyramid game instead. Must be great fun to be an archaeologist, think would probably be a bit like being an anthropologist, only with ancient artefacts and mummies and cool things like that instead of bones. Although surely archaeologists must find bones sometimes? What do they do if they find the fossilized remains of an Egyptian skeleton during an a dig at a site they thought just had vases and stuff in it? Not sure. Will ask Mummy when she wakes up.

**-8.58am**

Were there elephants in Ancient Egypt? Not sure, Miss Frazer didn't tell us that when she taught us about them in History. Oh well, in this version of Ancient Egypt, there definitely are elephants. Elephants are cute.

**-9.12am**

Ohhh, movement.

"Morning Mummy!" Still looks very tired, face ever-so-slightly grey. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Yes, darling, I'll be fine in a minute, I just need to get some water."

Why is it grown-ups always need at least 5 glasses of water the morning after they go out to a party? Thought it might have been a party thing, but when I went to Abby's party last month, I didn't feel the need to drink lots and lots of water the next day. Adults are very strange.

"Mummy? How was the party?"

"Oh, it was great, thanks. It was great; I think your granddad took some pictures, so we'll have to get hold of them and then I can show you just how hilarious your daddy's dancing is."

"I already know how hill… hill… hilarious Daddy's dancing is! When we went to Niall's 25th birthday party last year he had lots of red wine and ended up doing the Macarena with Niall's granddad, remember?" Think that might possibly have been one of the funniest things have seen in whole life, after Uncle Pieter's chimpanzee impression and the video of the grizzly bear falling out of the tree onto the trampoline. And the Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special, of course, but Mummy and Daddy don't know that Auntie Charlie let me watch that.

"Oh, this was much better than that, Josi, so much more entertaining. I just wish I'd videotaped it."

"What was he dancing to?"

"All I want for Christmas Is You."

"The normal one or the one with Justin Bieber?"

"The Justin Bieber one; he was mouthing along and trying to do the moonwalk at one point."

"Nice. Mummy?"

"Hmm?"

"You know archaeologists? What would they do if they were digging up a great big burial site looking for vases and coins and stuff like that, and they found the remains of a human skeleton?"

**-11.04am**

Don't understand why we have to get the over ground train instead of the underground, is much, much longer walk to Kensington Olympia station than High Street Kensington Tube Station. Plus tube stations are so much more exciting, and exactly how I imagine Gringotts in Harry Potter, except without the vaults, the goblins and the dragons. And horribly overcrowded.

"So, Daddy? Exactly how many people do we still need to buy Christmas presents for?" Am just a little bit worried that Christmas shopping will take so long that will be stuck in shopping centre all day, and won't have time to practise _à la seconde_ turns before dance show this evening. Very worried about _à la seconde_ turns, am scared will trip over own foot and fall flat on face in front of everyone, Daddy's video camera included.

"I don't think you really want to know the answer to that one, Josi. Pretty much everyone we know, and your Nana's got lots of people to buy for, too."

"So how long will it take?"

"Not sure, darling. It's going to be a good few hours, I'm afraid. But I promise to take you somewhere nice for lunch, OK?"

"…OK. But only if we can go to the sweet shop on the way home."

**-12.57pm**

Bored of wandering around department store looking at old lady candles for Nana to give to sister Margaret and potential Christmas presents for other grandparents now, really very dull. Must have bought enough presents for everyone we know by now; just need for Nana to take Mummy looking at clothes/shoes/something like that, so Daddy and I can escape off to choose something for Mummy. Probably some form of jewellery, in which case will need loan from Daddy to pay for it. Only have £7.68, R24 and fake £50 note in piggy bank, don't think is quite enough for jewellery.

**-12.59pm**

Grrr, what is taking them so long? Can't we have a lunch break at nice Vietnamese restaurant on ground floor of shopping mall now? Am starving.

**-1.00pm**

Ohhh, children's shoes. Think will go and try some on, might make time pass a bit quicker. And can see if they make heels like Mummy's in a children's size 11, am in great need of a pair in order to gain extra height. Am sick and tired of being short.

**-1.14pm**

Sadly no pairs of high heels, though nice pair of pink boots with butterfly on side. Might have to try them on again just to make sure they fit…

"_This is a customer announcement, could Joycelin Alexander please make her way to the customer services desk at the front of the shop where her parents and grandmother are waiting for her, that's Joycelin Alexander to the customer services desk, where her parents are waiting for her."_

Oops.

**-3.42pm**

Phew, finally on the train home. Christmas shopping a success, have got airplanes of WWII book for Daddy and pretty necklace for Mummy. Though am still trying to understand why Nana had to take so long looking at the old lady candles in Marks and Spencers. Or why she spent 10 whole minutes deciding which Christmas pudding to buy, when is not even going to be in the country for Christmas, will be with Mummy and Daddy and me in Cape Town at Auntie Sara and Uncle Pieter's, where food is not usually lacking. Very strange. And big waste of time.

"Right, Josi: so we're literally just going to run in and dump our shopping, you're going to grab your ballet bag and then we're off, OK? You have got everything ready, haven't you?"

"Ja, Nana and I sorted it all out last night."

"OK, you sure? Hairbrush? Hair pins? Ballet shoes? Spare pair of tights?"

"Yep, all sorted." Think Mummy is more nervous about Christmas dance show than I am, and all she has to do is do my hair, then sit back and watch in the audience with Daddy and Nana.

"And you've got a book to read backstage?"

"Yep, Harry Potter. But I've only got 3 chapters left of the chamber of Secrets, so I've borrowed one of yours and Daddy's medical journals just in case I finish it. That's OK, isn't it?"

**-6.23pm**

Getting a bit nervous now, blame ballet teacher Michelle for making me stand in wings and watch big scary advanced girls on pointe before going on. Not sure want to go onto huge great stage all by self, looks much bigger than in rehearsals. Have borrowed Mummy's dragonfly necklace as lucky mascot, but still very nervous. And a little bit worried that if Michelle sees it she might make me take it off.

**-6.25pm**

Oh uh, twinkly pointe music over, must be my turn. Scared. Will try and find Mummy and Daddy and Nana in audience when first go on, might feel better. Then again, Daddy will probably be pulling silly faces to 'reassure me', which last time just made me giggle. Think will ignore parents and just smile at video camera.

Right… _arabesque…run and jump…chaine turn, 1, 2… arabesque and leap… prep, à la seconde turn 1, 2, 3, 4, pirouette… down to floor and stretch… _Not actually that bad now have gotten started, take it back. Might risk glance in direction of parents' seats, know Mummy wants nice photograph to frame next to picture of Grandma Celin dancing in Cape Town theatre.

Oh. My. Gosh.

Take back what I said about Uncle Pieter's chimpanzee impression being one of the funniest things have ever seen in life. Nana's 'ballerina arms' in attempt to provide encouragement are even funnier. And best part is, think she's being perfectly serious, not even trying to make me smile for the camera. Which makes it all the more hilarious. If I end up falling out of this kick spin and landing in tangled heap on the floor, am so blaming her.

**Hope that was OK :) Dancing had to come into it somewhere, I'm afraid, as I spend half my life doing it :P Sorry, reading it back it does seem a bit brief, but I was badly running out of time :( More in-depth one tomorrow, promise :) Haven't completely decided what it's going to be on yet, but I think Harry, Nikki and Josi are going ice skating with Leo's lot… **


	15. Sunday 15th December 2019

**Sorry, I know it's late again, still ill :( But it's OK, it's now the Christmas holidays for me (bar dance show rehearsals) so I've got plenty of time to recover and get writing. And I really mean it this time when I promise tomorrow's chapter will be earlier! Sorry :( Thank you so much to Lizzi, Amy and Em (you're not hopeless at all, I'm the hopeless one!) for your reviews, love you guys xx Can't tell you how grateful I am. **

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Sunday 15****th**** December 2019**

**Harry's Diary**

**-10.09am**

"Nikki, please!"

Not entirely sure why am pleading with her, am almost positive is not going to work. Will come out with some line about how is almost Christmas and therefore should be spending time with family, not turning down days out due to fear of personal humiliation. May have tiny little bit of a point, but still. Could of consulted me first before committed all 3 of us.

"Nikki, come on, do we all _really_ have to go? You know I'm rubbish at ice skating…"

She's smirking now, is so enjoying this. Am starting to think the main reason she accepted Leo and Janet's invitation to go to outdoor skating rink today with the kids was so she could laugh at fiancé's two left feet and severe lack of coordination. Wouldn't be surprised.

"Oh, but Harry, it's Christmas! You know, family time and all that, we can't leave you here by yourself. And anyway, you might be marginally better at it this time…" Uh oh, evil smile. "Then again, maybe not!"

"Oi! Just because I'm yet to discover something you can't do, Dr Alexander, it doesn't give you permission to laugh at my severe lack of talent at anything other than wielding a brain knife!"

Is giggling hysterically now, rather entertaining how quick and easy it is to send her into fit of uncontrollable laughter.

"So what, you can sit at the side with the video camera and a coffee. And anyway, Harry, Josi's never been ice skating in her life, who says she's not going to be even worse than you are?"

"Oh come on, don't give me that rubbish! All that dancing she does can only work in her favour, she'll be pirouetting around the ice rink in minutes! Plus she's half you, so she's probably got your brilliant-at-everything gene."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Oh Harry, come on, you know you want to, it'll be fun! Please?"

"Alright. Alright, I'll come, but I'm sitting on a bench by the ice rink and taking photos, I'm not actually donning a pair of ice skates."

"What? Daddy, you can't go ice skating and not even try to skate! That's copping out! Which is exactly what you told me never to do under any circumstances when I couldn't understand fractions!"

Damn. Why are fiancé and 8 year old daughter so good at cornering me? Is no way possible of getting out of this one if want Joycelin to even attempt maths homework in future.

**-10.47am**

Cannot believe am doing this.

"Daddy?"

"Yes darling?"

"So is ice skating just like roller blading, except you sort of glide along? It's the same… same… technique, right?"

"Not sure I'm really the best person to be asking, Josi. Ask Mummy, she's the expert." Actually, coming to think of it, how exactly is Nikki so good at ice skating when grew up in South Africa, which was somewhat lacking in cold weather last time checked? Would have thought surfing or something outdoor and beach orientated would be much more popular. Grrr, is there nothing she can't do? Probably.

"OK, I will in a minute. Daddy, will you help me put my ice skates on? I can't do shoelaces properly with cold fingers."

"Fine, go on then." Hmm, actually not too sure how to do this: how on earth do you get ice skates onto an overexcited 8 year old who's never used them before? Strongly suspect usual balancing on one foot while leaning on Daddy's shoulder is never going to work while trying to balance on paper-thin blade.

Ohhh, Janet seems to have right idea, has perched Jacob on edge of park wall to sort out ice skates. Will do that.

**-10.50am**

"OK, Josi, I'm going to lift you off now: it might be a bit difficult to balance at first, so I'll be ready to hold your hand if you start to slip over, alright?"

"OK. But Daddy, it really doesn't look that difficult, you know. Jenna can do it, see!"

"Yes, but Jenna's 2 years older than you, darling, and she's done this a few times before with Grandma and Granddad. Just… don't try to run before you can walk, OK? We don't want to end up in casualty before we've even made it onto the ice, do we? Especially at Christmas."

**-10.53am**

"Harry, do you want me to take her?"

"Yep, that's probably for the best, isn't it?" Don't think am best person to take daughter out on ice for the first time, would most likely end in complete and utter disaster. And potential broken bones.

"Probably. Right, come on Josi. We'll go around on the railing first and then we'll go out into the middle, OK?"

"What about Daddy?"

"We're going to leave Daddy to find his feet, sweetheart; it might take him a bit longer than you. Last time Grandma, Granddad and I took him ice skating- before you were born- he didn't manage more than half a lap of the ice rink at a time without falling over."

"Is it really that hard?"

"No, not really, Daddy's just got 2 left feet."

"Then… why didn't you tell him to hold the railing, then?

"He was."

"Huh?"

"He was holding the railing, Josi."

Am so going to kill her for that one later.

**-11.02am**

Grrr, can't seem to get the hang of this at all. Have been lapped twice by Jenna, Josi and Jasper already, even by Leo and Janet pulling Jacob along. In last 5 minutes. And don't even get me started on Nikki. Show off.

**-11.03am**

Ouch, slipped over again. Ice skating really not as easy as fiancé, daughter, Leo, Janet and godchildren make it look. Or maybe am just complete idiot. Most likely.

"Daddy! Mummy, Daddy, watch this!"

Uh oh.

"Watch what? Josi…"

Ohhh, actually is much better at this than gave her credit for, seems to be recreating dance solo from last night on ice skates. May be just a little bit jealous. And slightly worried she's going to slip over and break arm.

"Wow, Josi, that's good! Tell you what, why don't you go and hold hands with your cousins, I'll go and get the camera and we can have a nice photo of all 4 of you together, hmm?"

"… OK then. Jasper! Jasper, we're having a photo!"

**-11.07am**

Ah, feels so good to be on solid ground again, is no way anyone is getting me back on ice. Until next year, anyway. If had pound for every time fell over, would never have to work again.

"Right, come on you lot, no silly faces!"

"But that's boring! Can't we have a silly faces one and then a normal one, Uncle Harry?"

"Fine, fine, but a normal one first, OK? Or else we'll be here all day. Jacob, shuffle in a bit… Jenna, little bit left, no, no, my left, your right… Josi, I don't want poses, I just want smiles, please. Jasper… actually, no, that's quite a good idea, arms round each other please, guys! Jenna, don't actually lean on Josi's shoulders though, OK, she's short enough as it is! Right, smile!"

**-11.23am**

Cannot believe have bloody agreed to this. Cannot believe am braving the ice again, so Nikki can drag me round rink at top speed to show me what actual, proper, non-falling-over ice skating is like. Is going to end in disaster.

"Right, so you're not going to go too fast, right? And you're not going to try any of those fancy spins you were showing Josi and Jenna?"

"What? No, sorry Harry, I'm good, but I'm not that good! No, I'm just going to drag you round at a decent speed, all you've got to do is keep yourself upright. It'll be fine."

Ah. "Erm… Nikki… you do know I have absolutely no sense of…"

Too late.

"Balance!"

Arghhh, don't think have ever been so scared in life, am clearly big wuss. Nikki coming at corner way too fast for liking, don't think am going to be able to maintain balance when she starts to turn.

Uh oh.

Ohhh, think might be flying, must have let go of Nikki's hand. Oh.

Ah, not flying anymore, think might be…

Oh.

Owwwwwwww!


	16. Monday 16th December 2019

**It's a bit earlier today, I'm getting back on track :) Happy 16****th****, and huge hugs to Izzy Lizzi, Amy and Em for reviewing despite my uselessness at updating at the moment. I'll get on top of my other fics soon, promise! :)**

**Hope you enjoy, **

**Love Flossie xxx**

**PS. I'm having trouble coming up with a theme for the 20****th**** at the moment, so if anyone's got any prompts for me, that would be amazing :) Harry, Nikki and Josi will be in Cape Town with Leo's lot by then, so no snow, but plenty of sun is a possibility… any ideas? Do let me know if you have, and I'll give you a special mention if I end up using your idea :)**

**Monday 16****th**** December 2019**

**Nikki's Diary**

**-6.03pm**

"Mummy? Mummy, will you come and practise with me now?"

"One second, darling, I'm just finishing cooking dinner, OK? I'll be there in 10 minutes! Have you got any homework?" Don't believe even evil class teacher Miss Frazer would give 4F homework during last week before Christmas holidays, though won't hurt to check.

"Ja, spellings. On a Christmas theme. Only we can't do them on Friday this week, because school finishes on Wednesday, so "

I take it back.

"Right. Right, well, why don't you go and sit at the kitchen table and learn your spellings, then, Daddy can help you, and then after dinner we'll go and practise, OK?" School Christmas Carol service tomorrow morning, Josi has been given task of playing 'I saw Three Ships' on violin. Doesn't really need to practise anymore, not far off being musical genius. Is just a worrier.

"Why can't Daddy finish cooking dinner? Then you could practise my violin piece with me now."

"Because Daddy's supposedly incapacitated, sweetheart. And feeling sorry for himself." Ha, look on Harry's face is priceless. Is just going to have to get used to it, am so going to keep teasing him about this for as long as possible.

"But Daddy, you only broke your finger, it's not like it was anything serious! The nice doctor in A and E said you'd be fine."

Ah, thank you Josi. At least someone has the right idea.

"That's 3 fingers, Josi, 3! All on the same hand! My left hand, and I'm left-handed, so how am I meant to cut up pieces of chicken or whatever without getting it all over the bandage? And then if I do that, then I won't be able to wash it, and then I might give myself salmonella, and then…"

"So why don't you put a plastic bag over your hand, then?"

Wow, Josi really is good at this, must have done something right.

"But… well…"

"Exactly. But because I'm so nice, I'm willing to wait until after dinner to practise for tomorrow. But only if you help me learn my spellings while Mummy's making dinner."

Ah, maybe not so well trained after all. Will have to give her lesson on not backing down, even in face of pleading looks. Think Josi might be too nice for her own good.

**-6.13pm**

"Mummy?"

"Yes, darling?" Uh oh, can tell from her tone of voice that she's about to ask one of her near-impossible-to-answer questions. Why is it that she feels the need to ask me, even though Harry is sat right next to her? Typical, mothers always seem to end up drawing the short straw when it comes to looking after children.

"You know Santa?"

"Not personally, Josi, but yes, go on."

"He doesn't just deliver presents to children in England, does he? He does the whole world."

Ohhh, think I understand where this is going.

"Yep, that's right. Don't worry, Santa does South Africa as well as London, Josi. He'll find you."

"…OK. But… how does he get there? Because if you think about it, it's an 11 hour flight to Cape Town on a good day, and they're 2 hours ahead at this time of year, so even if he goes to Africa first and then works his way back up to Europe, he's still going to lose 9 hours. And that's just two countries and there are… there are… at least 30 countries in the whole world. So how… does he borrow the TARDIS for the night?"

"Erm…" oh great, Harry smirking in my direction, think he considers this as payback. "Well, I don't think he actually uses the TARDIS to deliver the presents, Josi, but I imagine the Doctor helps him out when it comes to delivering all the presents before Christmas morning. Now you mention it, I think the two of them are very good friends."

"OK. So… so the Doctor helps Santa out when it comes to visiting all the children in the world before Christmas morning, but when he arrives in a new time zone he loads all the presents into the sleigh, and… and then the Doctor just waits in the TARDIS for Santa to finish in, say, in South Africa, so he can take him back in time to deliver presents in England? Is that it?"

No idea what the official answer to this one is, will have to send off for Christmas handbook from Lapland ASAP. But in meantime, am going to have to wing it.

"Yep, that's right."

"But… but it doesn't snow in South Africa, so how can the sleigh move?"

"Well, it flies, doesn't it? It doesn't need snow to move along in the air, does it?"

"I know, but what about the reindeer? Reindeer are from Lapland- well, the magic reindeer are- reindeer are from cold places, so won't they get too hot in Africa? They'll overheat, and then they'll get really tired, even though magic reindeer don't really get tired, but I can't believe they don't get tired in the middle of Summer in South Africa, so the…"

"Well, tell you what, we'll see if your grandma's got a nice big bowl to put out some water for the reindeer, OK? They can have a break on the doorstep before they head off to the next house, they'll be fine."

"OK. So they won't pass out over the beach, right? Because I'm not sure if reindeer can swim?"

"I'm sure they can, Josi. I'm sure they do lots of swimming in the North Pole."

"Well, I suppose they have to, don't they? Now that the ice is all melting away and the Arctic ocean's all open and unfrozen. Mummy? Do you think they save the polar bears if they fall off an iceberg, and take them somewhere nice and cold and well below freezing where they'll be safe?"

How on earth does she come up with these things?

**-8.05pm**

"Right, Josi: come on, it's bedtime!" Don't know where the evening has gone, was planning on getting started on packing for South Africa this evening, though all actually seem to have done is lounge on sofa with Harry in front of Spooks. And root through medicine cabinet looking for painkillers for Harry's broken fingers. Think might let him just sit and watch ice skating next year and save the trip to A and E.

"Mummy?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you and Daddy coming to watch the carol service tomorrow?"

"Of course we are. Us and Granddad- we're declaring the Lyell Centre closed for the morning. Now come on, you need to go to sleep, sweetheart, or you're going to be tired tomorrow. And it's your class Christmas party, don't forget." 4F are spending tomorrow afternoon eating cake and playing party games to Justin Bieber Christmas music- Josi is going to be completely hyper by home time. Is typical of class teacher- hype up 8 year olds on E numbers and then just as they're really experiencing the effects of the sugar rush, hand them back over to their parents to deal with.

"And we have to pack tomorrow, right?"

"Yep, that's the plan. So you're going to help with that, aren't you? You're not going to leave Daddy and I do all that for you." Apart from anything, Harry will most likely declare self incapable of packing own suitcase due to broken fingers and settle for slouching across sofa issuing instructions. Men are all the same.

"I won't. Mummy? Can I have a story?"

"It's a bit late for a story, really…"

"Please? It doesn't have to be a whole story, you can just read me a chapter."

"Of what? Not anything Jane Austen, Josi, we'll be here all night."

"No, of Friendship according to Humphrey."

Ahhh, that rubbish. Have never understood appeal of Humphrey hamster books personally, think it may stem from being 8 years old and desperate for a pet.

"Fine, go on then. But straight to sleep afterwards."

**-8.56pm**

"Nikki? Nikki, you couldn't get me a coffee, could you?"

Grrr, could kill him sometimes. "Harry, you 've got a broken finger, not a broken leg!"

"Oi, 3 broken fingers, remember? All because you dragged me around the ice rink yesterday at full speed and failed to take into account your fiancé's terrible sense of balance!"

"True. But I don't see how that stops you from making your own cup of coffee!"

"Now, that's where I'd be inclined to disagree with you, Dr Alexander, I'm not capable of doing that at all. I am, however, perfectly capable of doing this."

"What?"

Ohhh, this. Should never have told Harry feet were so ticklish.

"Harry! Harry, get off!"

"Can't do that, Niks, sorry. Nope, definitely not going to be possible!"

As much as it tickles, think will put up with it for now; know what's coming next. Lots of kissing and cuddling and 'making up', perfect. What more could I possibly want?


	17. Tuesday 17th December 2019

**So sorry this is late, have a whole bunch of excuses but none of them seem very good. I think my family internet connection times out for the night soon (if it works, this is day 2 and it didn't turn off yesterday) so this is a bit rushed just in case! Huge hugs to Dinabar, Lizzi, Amy and Ria for reviewing, please continue to do so everyone :) and I'll see you tomorrow for Harry, Nikki and Josi's flight to Cape Town (with the Daltons, of course :) And reviews make me write exta fast, hint hint :)**

**Love FLossie xxx**

**Tuesday 17****th**** December 2019**

**Harry's Diary**

**-8.12am**

"Joycelin, come on, darling! We're going to be late if you don't hurry up!" Has been faffing around all morning, think she's nervous about playing violin in carol service. Thought obsessing over hair and trying to convince Nikki to put mascara on her was supposed to kick no earlier than the teenage years.

"OK Daddy, I'm coming! You've got the sausage rolls for the class party later, right?"

"Yep, Mummy just put them in the car! Along with your violin, your music, your book bag and your party outfit! Now come on, you don't want to get a late mark on your penultimate day of term, do you?"

"What does penultimate mean?" Ah, at last, she's emerging from bedroom, something gold around her wrist. Think it's gold bangle she's had since she was a baby with tiny dragonfly like the one on Nikki's necklace on it, is her lucky mascot. Though don't think teachers will be best impressed.

"Penultimate means the one before the last, Josi; so your penultimate day of school is the day before your last one of the year. What's that you've got around your wrist? And is that mascara you're wearing?" God, she's growing up too quickly.

"It's my bangle, the one like Mummy's necklace. And yes, I have got mascara on, I wanted eye shadow but Mummy said that was going to be too obvious and might agg… agg… aggravate my teachers."

"Right. I see. Well, I'm not sure you're going to get away with the bangle, either. Does Mummy know you're wearing that? "

"No."

"I didn't think so. Look, darling, I really don't think that's a good idea…"

"But it's my lucky mascot!"

"I know, darling, I know. Look, how about you wear it to school, then you can give it to Mummy and me just before you go into school, and we'll bring it to the church for the carol service. That way it'll be there with you, it just won't actually be around your wrist. Is that a fair compromise?"

"OK then."

"Good girl. Right, are you ready to go now, then?" Surely it can't take her too much longer to get herself ready? Is only going to school.

"Ja, I think so."

"Good girl. Come on then, let's go. Would you mind doing the burglar alarm code on the way out if I lift you up, darling? It's quite difficult to press the buttons with 3 of your fingers taped together."

**-8.27am**

"Ok, Joycelin, so we'll see you at the church in about half an hour, then. Now, I've got your bangle, I'll look after it for you, and you're going to make Mummy and me proud, hey? Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good girl. Now, if you go wrong, then don't panic, just find where you are on the music and find your way back in, OK? You'll be absolutely fine, I know you will. Just enjoy it."

**-8.56am**

Ah, love nothing better than a good school carol service: 500 odd parents crammed into tiny church hall armed with multitude of video cameras, screaming babies and toddlers and cold draft whenever anyone new arrives. Brilliant, gotta love it.

"Harry? Harry, you have turned off your mobile, haven't you? We don't want a repeat performance of last year."

"Yep, thanks Leo, already done that." Hmph. Is never going to allow me to forget that. Is not fair- Leo is practically Christmas carol service veteran compared to me, is not my fault forgot tiny little task of turning off mobile last year.

Or that Bob Mumford chose point at which timid little year 3 was struggling way though painful tuba rendition of 'Silent Night' to phone about crime scene he needed me at. And, due to presence in front row right next to piano, led to year 3 jumping in shock at bad ringtone and dropping tuba. On foot.

**-9.01am**

Ohhh, think it might be starting, better dig hymn book out of front of seat. And have video camera at the ready. As only one out of Nikki, Leo, Janet and self with decent flip cam, have been given task of recording all 4 children in various carol singing/verse reading/re-enacting nativity scene etc. Is quite a responsibility, would not like to have to tell Janet's mother that footage of Jacob playing part of angel Gabriel in Jenna's fairy wings is obstructed by huge great ogre of parent's head in front row. Only met her handful of times; lovely woman, but got the impression has the potential to be pretty scary when wants to be.

**-9.23am**

Is funny how perspective of school carol service changes with age and experience. Remember when I was in this sort of thing at Joycelin's age: thought was most exciting thing in world, couldn't understand why Dad didn't take morning off work to come and watch or why Mum didn't record entire thing, thought Sharon Harvey's clarinet playing was verging on world class, truly believed year 6 playing Mary would go on to win Oscar and had great faith Miss James when she told school choir had delivered note perfect performance. Now, however, as parent looking on at whole thing with older, wiser, greatly mature outlook on life, can see true colours of school carol services for the first time. Mary and Joseph can't act to save life, narrators need a megaphone, choir painfully out of tune and enough mispronounced words from bible passages to make anyone lose faith in the national curriculum. And as for the instrument playing, think eardrums are dangerously close to bursting, bar select few with limited musical ability. Though Josi, of course, is exception which proves the rule, is amazingly talented and cute and note perfect, not to mention expressive in violin playing. Think might be next Vanessa-Mae. And of course, as her father, am not even slightest bit biased. Just realistic.

**-9.42am**

Phew, it's over. Think this is part where get to go and mingle with teachers/ congratulate daughter on violin performance/drink excessive cups of coffee and eat numerous mince pies before heading off back to Lyell Centre.

"Well done, Josi! You were brilliant, darling!"

"Was I?"

"Yep, fantastic! That was definitely the best you've played it."

"Thanks, Daddy. Did you get it on the video camera?"

"Yes I did, the whole thing. So we'll take that with us to South Africa tomorrow, and then you can show everyone how beautifully you played."

Looks slightly confused. "Why would I do that when I could play it to them in person?"

"Well, true, but you're not actually going to have a violin to play it on, are you?"

"Hmm? Oh no, I'm taking my violin with me!"

"No you're not. Josi, listen…"

"But I have to! Auntie Sara sp…sff… speficly told me to bring it with me, because she needs a violinist for the live music!"

"Live music?" Oh god, this doesn't sound good.

"Yes, live music. Auntie Sara says we're going to take a step up from the karaoke machine as it's Christmas and have live music. So she needs me to bring my violin for the Fairy Tale of New York."

"The Fairy Tale of New York?" Uh oh, not sure quite how appropriate that is for an 8 year old.

"Ja. Auntie Sara's going to be the woman who died in a jet ski accident-"

"You mean Kirsty McCall?"

"Possibly. Anyway, Auntie Sara's going to be her, Uncle Pieter's going to be the one who sings from the Pogues, I'm doing the violin bit when the tempo picks up, Callum's going to play the keyboard and Ethan's doing the bass guitar bit. Oh, and Granddad, I think they're going to get you on a drum kit at some point."

Ha, look on Leo's face is priceless.

"Right. Right, well, Josi…"

Oh god, Miss Frazer headed straight for Nikki and Janet, better go and intervene. Nikki and I haven't really gotten on with Josi's teacher since September, though relationship reached new heights 2 weeks ago at parents' evening between Nikki and said teacher, when Miss Frazer (with nose so high in the air am surprised didn't smash through ceiling) described Josi as having 'the vocabulary of a 92 year old sadistic heart surgeon and an accent like a young Emilia Fox who's spent too much time in Johannesburg.' To which Nikki applied with a stiff 'Cape Town, actually,' and stormed off at end of appointment after turning down Miss Frazer's offer of handshake and slamming chair into desk, coming dangerously close to spilling coffee. Don't think she was as much offended by the 92 year old sadistic heart surgeon comment as the fact that Miss Frazer had mistaken darling daughter's mixed up half Cape Town-ian accent 'which is much classier, Harry, don't you think?' with Jo'burg accent. All sound exactly the same to me.

Except the woman off the Cape Town-specific bit of the news on channel 1 in South Africa. Can't understand a word she says even on a good day.


	18. Wednesday 18th December 2019

**Happy 18****th**** :) Exactly a week until Christmas! Sorry this is late again, hope it was worth the wait :) Thank you so much Emma (for all your reviews!), Amy and Lizzi, so grateful for all your lovely reviews. If this fic makes it to 100 reviews by Christmas Eve, then I'll do a Boxing Day bonus chapter :) **

**Don't forget to review!**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Wednesday 18****th**** December 2019**

**Nikki's Diary**

**-7.54am**

"Right, now listen Joycelin: can you promise me that everything you need for the next 3 weeks is packed? Because 3 weeks is a very long time darling, and when we come home from school today it's literally going to be a quick in through the door, change out of your uniform, pick up your bags and go, OK? We're not going to have time to add anything to the suitcases."

"OK… yep, I've thought about it, and I'm sure I've got everything."

"Positive? Plenty of clothes? Swimming stuff? Underwear? Shoes? Homework book? Ollie the elephant? Toothbrush? Violin? Entertainment for the flight? Book to read? Christmas presents? Stocking? Pyjamas?"

"Umm… yes you packed it, yes you packed it, yes you packed it, yes you packed it, no don't need it, of course, yes you saw me pack it, it's right next to you, yes, yes, yes Daddy saw me pack it, no Daddy's got it and yes you packed it."

Wow, she's good at making me sound like annoying, nagging mother.

"OK then, it sounds like you're sorted. And you're all ready for school, yes? You've got your present for Miss Frazer?"

"Ja. But Mummy, I don't understand why you want to give her a Christmas present when you think she's a racially prejudiced pig with her head stuck in the 90s and people with that kind of attitude shouldn't be allowed to be teachers, they should be sewage maintenance staff instead. Or bin women."

Why is it that children can always be trusted to quote you at your worst?

"I never said that."

"Yes you did, when I took in my photos of South Africa in September for Show and Tell on What I Did In The Summer Holidays, and Miss Frazer told everyone that in South Africa all of the…"

"Yep, I think we all remember what she said about South Africans and the political situation out there, thanks, Joycelin."

"Well, if you remember, then why do you want to give Miss Frazer a Christmas present?"

"I don't, it's your dad's idea, he thinks it might go some way towards a peace offering. And anyway, you don't know what it is."

"What is it?"

"Nelson Mandela's autobiography. Now come on, Josi, you need to go and make at least a vague attempt at clearing all the Lego off your bedroom floor before you leave, OK? Or you're going to be coming home to a wonderfully messy bedroom."

"What's wrong with coming home to Lego all over the floor? It just means I can get straight on with playing my Indiana Jones game."

"Well, if you don't feel like playing that when we get home and you're too tired to tidy it up, then it's going to be there for weeks. So go and clear it up please. And if you do an especially good job, then I'll consult with Daddy and maybe we'll let you have your Advent calendar chocolate in the car, OK?"

"Ohhh, alright then!"

Really should stop using chocolate as bribe, will add it to list of New Year's resolutions doomed to fail by mid-February at latest. Now to check up on useless packer number 2.

"Harry? Harry, are you all sorted for this afternoon?" Husband-to-be is notoriously bad at being ready to leave on time, as proved when tried to go on holiday to Turkey last year and almost missed flight due to last minute panic over location of passport.

"Pretty much. Just need to throw some more socks in, but otherwise, yes, sorted."

"And you've got your passport?"

"Yep."

"Do you want me to look after it for you?"

"Probably best, isn't it?"

"I think so. And you spoke to Hayley the estate agent yesterday?" Had phone call from her two days ago to confirm that offer on house had been accepted, though need to explain to her that will be out of the country until January, so won't be able to actually get ball rolling until then.

"Nikki, relax, I spoke to her yesterday evening, remember? She says it's fine, the people we're buying the house from want to postpone things until after Christmas anyway, so we'll get everything going again in January. It's all fine."

"OK. OK, so we just need to empty the fridge and turn off everything at the wall before we leave, right?"

"Think so. Anything worth taking in for the Lyell Centre fridge?"

"Probably, I'll have a look in a minute. You couldn't set the Sky Box for Downton Abbey, could you?"

**-3.02pm**

"Joycelin! Joycelin, come on, we really need to get going ASAP!"

"But Jasper and I are…"

"Josi, you're going to see Jasper in about an hour at the airport, can't whatever you're doing wait until then?" Starting to get ever-so-slightly stressed about making it to the airport in time now, probably need to relax a little.

"I suppose so, OK. Mummy, you don't need to panic, there's still another 3 hours until our plane leaves, you know!"

"Yep, I know darling, but I'd feel much better if it wasn't all a last minute rush, OK? So can we get going?"

"Mm hmm. Mummy? So if our flight leaves here at 6, then we're going to get to Cape Town at… 5 in the morning?"

"That's right. Sorry, Daddy and I did try to get a flight at a more convenient time, but this was the only thing they had before Christmas Eve."

"But… but if it's going to be 5 in the morning when we get there, then we can't get in a taxi, because Uncle Pieter says if people just had the sense to not trust taxi drivers at that time of night then he might well be out of a job, so…"

Not sure whether to be more worried about the fact she doesn't seem to think Harry and I have thought of these things as responsible parents, or that this is second piece of potentially age-inappropriate information Josi has regurgitated from Pieter in less than a week. Am going to have to have words with him tomorrow.

"Don't worry, it's all arranged. Uncle Pieter and Auntie Sara are going to come and pick us all up from the airport."

She's still frowning, have clearly missed something in explanation. "But I thought Auntie Sara wasn't allowed to drive? Not after… you know."

Ah, she's got me, hadn't thought of that. "Well… Uncle Pieter and someone else will come and get us all then, either Zaretta or Ethan, I expect." Zaretta and Ethan are Sara and Pieter's oldest 2 children, still find the idea that they are now old enough to drive pretty terrifying, seems like only couple of years ago when Ethan was born.

"What about Callum?"

"I doubt it; he's only just started learning to drive."

"That's cool. When can I learn to drive?"

"Not till you're 17, Josi, that's the legal age for it. And maybe not even then, I'll have to think about whether or not I trust you with my car."

"But it's not that difficult, is it? I mean, you and Daddy and… and all the other adults I know all drive while talking to me or singing along to music or texting or…"

"Only in emergencies, Josi! You're not really supposed to text while you're driving."

"I know, that's what I told Daddy last week on the way home from ballet. But the point is, Mummy, it's not really very difficult, is it? So Callum will be driving in no time."

"Well, it is if your Auntie Sara's teaching you." Didn't bother learning to drive when turned 17, just used public transport through college and medical school. Then went back to South Africa to train as pathologist and one day made crucial mistake of letting it slip to Sara that had never learned to drive. Next thing I knew, she was offering to teach me. Still have nightmares about speeding down the N3 in tiny, bashed up beetle having forgotten L plates, with speed-addict in 4 by 4 right on tail and Sara barking instructions in ear. Never again.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, darling."

"Oh. Mummy? Is it true that if you go to Germany and you drive on the Auto… Autobahn…?"

"Yep, that's the one."

"OK, Autobahn. Is it true that if you drive on the Autobahn, you can go as fast as you like?"

"Yep, that's true, there's no speed limit. Daddy would be in heaven, wouldn't he?" Ohhh, nearly home, better start getting her into 'speedy change and go' mode.

"Right, Josi: so when we get in you're going to go straight to get changed out of your uniform, I've put some clothes on your bed for you, then quick toilet stop, and we're just going to grab our bags and go, OK? Then we're going to go and pick Daddy up from the Lyell Centre, and go straight off to the airport. And we haven't got an awful lot of time, so I want you to be as quick as you can, OK? Promise?"

"OK, promise. But… isn't it going to take us ages to get all the suitcases down the stairs?"

"Yep, it probably is, that's why I need you to be really, really quick, OK? Because we don't want to miss our flight, or we'll be stuck in the airport for hours and hours until British Airways find us another one, and that's going to get complicated."

**-3.42pm**

Urghhh, now feeling considerably stressed. Flight leaves at 6, which means really should be at airport by 4 at latest, therefore have only got 18 minutes left. Thought would take too long for both of us to go into Lyell Centre to pick up fiancé, so tried to text Harry but no reply. So made quick and potentially lethal decision of staying in car and lining self up ready to speed out of Lyell Centre car park and sending Joycelin in to get Harry. Have horrible feeling she's gotten distracted on the way in and is sat reading stay medical journal at this very moment.

**-3.44pm**

Ah, here they come.

"What took you two so long? Right, in quick, we really need to get going."

"Sorry Mummy, Auntie Charlie was giving me my Christmas present."

"Was she?" Uh oh, that really doesn't sound good, is probably something entirely inappropriate. "Have you opened it?"

"No, Daddy said we didn't have time, so Auntie Charlie said not to worry, I can open it on Christmas Day. But I know what it is."

"Really? What is it?" _Please be vaguely 8-year-old appropriate, please be vaguely 8-year-old appropriate…_

"It's an N-dubz t shirt, she got it for me at that concert she went to. But she said you're not to worry, it's OK, it's just bright pink with 'na nan niii' written on it in big letters."

Oh god.

**-4.32pm**

Phew, arrived and checked in with just under hour and a half to go, met up with Leo, Janet, Dalton clan and Mrs C, now sat in Starbucks with 4 already bored children drinking gingerbread lattes and laughing at Mrs C's quite frankly brilliant stories of Harry's childhood. Can't wait for her to get back from toilets so can quiz her further about Harry's Ermintrude the cow costume. Have sat kids on separate table with Nintendo DSs and biscuits in order to gain much needed quiet time before flight, will be no shutting them up when stuck on an airplane for 11 hours. Even though is night flight.

Ohhh, actually, on the subject of seating arrangements…

"I suppose at some point, we're going to have to sort out who's sitting with whom, aren't we? We've got…" Hmm, am sure have boarding passes in here somewhere. "We've got a 4, a 3 and a 2… so…"

"Well, the kids are going to want to sit together, aren't they? So we're going to have to come up with some creative way of putting 2 next to each other with responsible adults to keep them in check."

"OK… so perhaps we should go Leo, Jasper, Josi, me, then Janet, Jenna, Jacob, and then Anne and Harry?" Oh, maybe not, look on Harry's face is priceless.

"Fine, fine. Any better ideas, Harry?"

"Anything that doesn't involve leaving me alone with my mother for 11 hours is fine by me."

Uh oh, dangerous look on Leo's face, has clearly come up with debatable plan. "Of course, we could go Janet and me, Harry, Nikki, Mrs C, then Jenna, Jasper, Josi, Jacob?"

"I think he's finally gone mad, Niks."

"No, seriously, Harry. Think about it, it's perfect. That way if they decide to stay up all night screaming and shouting, they're not our problem."

"They will be when we can't get them out of bed on Friday morning. Or when the air hostesses have to come round to get us to discipline them."

"Ah, true, maybe not."

**-4.37pm**

"Nana?"

"Yes, Josi?" Ah brilliant, she's directing her awkward questions at someone other than poor parents for a change, feel like jumping for joy.

"The airport staff people will make sure my violin gets onto the right flight, won't they? Because I don't want it to end up in… I don't know… Mexico."

"I'm sure it won't. The nice lady on the check in desk put a label around it with 'Cape Town' on it in nice big letters, remember? She even attached a second one for you just in case the first one fell off."

"That's true. But still, what if…"

"Then we'll threaten to sue British Airways and they'll find your violin in a flash. Trust me, Josi, it works every time."

Ehhhh?

**-6.14pm**

"Mummy? Mummy, shouldn't we have left by now? It's quarter past 6."

"Yes, I know darling, there must be a minor delay, that's all. We'll be off in a minute." Settled for Leo and Jasper, Janet, Jenna and Jacob, and Harry, self, Josi and Mrs C in the end, so only have 1 child to keep entertained/get off to sleep at reasonable time. Sadly though, seems to be able to come up with new impossible questions to pose even when have done best to wear her out. Even let her freestyle dance around waiting room to Harry's iPod in hope of draining her of energy, no such luck. Typical.

"So does that mean we're going to be arriving late?"

"Most likely, I'm afraid. But that's fine, it just means you'll get an extra half hours' sleep or so."

"Do I have to? Jenna and Jasper and Jacob and I were going to have an all-night sleepover! All night as in staying up the whole flight!"

Oh god, is good job voted against Leo's plan of seating the 4 of them together.

"No you're not, Joycelin, or you're going to be completely shattered tomorrow, and jet lag's bad enough as it is."

"But… but how can you get jet lack on a flight to a country that's only 2 hours ahead time-wise?"

Good point: now she mentions it, how can you get jet lag on a flight to a country only 2 hours ahead? Is mystery. Maybe something to do with disorientation of spending shocking 11 hours on airplane?

"I don't know, Josi, you just… sort of do. It's just one of those things."

"…OK. Mummy? So how long _is_ it before we take off?"

**-7.30pm**

"Josi! Josi, how about we watch this?" Bloody plane was over an hour late taking off due to two of the air hostesses phoning in sick at the last minute, meaning that almost all of flight entertainment had planned for daughter was exhausted once nice view had disappeared from window hatch and evil mummy and daddy started to ration the fruit pastels.

"What is it?"

"Bridget Jones's Diary, darling, it's comedy gold."

"What's it about?"

"Well, it's about a woman called Bridget who works as a journalist, but she's quite… well… lots of things go wrong for her, but in a funny way, and then she falls in love… oh, let's just watch it, Josi, you'll love it. It's great."

**-11.47pm**

Hallelujah, Josi finally asleep. Note to self: never, ever book night flight on basis that the kids will sleep through it again, parents run out of steam long before they do. Went down to toilets with Harry just now, Jenna and Jacob still going strong at nearly midnight. Poor Janet, feel for her.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"You know what we agreed about spending quality time together once Josi and your mum dropped off? Do you mind if we spend it snoring on each other's shoulders instead? Because I don't know about you, but I'm shattered."

"Nikki?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm so glad you suggested that, I was just thinking the same thing."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Thanks. I love you really, you know."

"I know. Love you, too. But only if you take your bony elbow off my shoulder!"

**For those of you who don't know, the N3 is shorthand for National Route 3, which is basically the South African equivalent of motorways in the UK. The N3 is the one which connects Jo'burg to Durban. The system was modelled on the US highway system and the German Autobahn, although unlike the Autobahn, the National Routes do actually have a speed limit. But how many drivers actually stick to it is another matter altogether :P**


	19. Thursday 19th December 2019

**I seem to be starting all of my uploads at the moment with the word sorry, don't I? I really am, just seem to be so so busy at the moment, plus have exams to revise for :( So I'm afraid I don't think Conclusions in Cape Town will be done by Christmas, though it won't be too much later. For lack of a better word, sorry! Sorry you're most likely going to read this chapter a day late, sorry for being useless, I will try very hard to get these back in synch before Christmas Eve. And don't forget that if this has 100 reviews by then, I'll write a boxing day special- 75 at the moment, so another 25 more over 5 chapters if you want it! :) Aren't I mean? **

**HUGE thank yous to Izzy, Lizzi, Amy, hopelesslyhalfhearted and Emma for your reviews, and hope you enjoy this one :) I'm not sure about the end- it's either going to be hilarious or a complete disaster. Let me know :)**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Thursday 19****th**** December 2019**

**-Harry's Diary**

**-6.09am**

"Nikki? Nikki? Nikki, my love?"

Think might end up having to carry her off airplane at this rate, seems to be completely flat out. Not really surprised, don't think she got off to sleep until after midnight, is going to be shattered later. Luckily, have absolutely nothing planned for today other than lounging by Sara and Pieter's swimming pool in sun. Perfect.

"Nikki?"

Ohhh, think she might finally be stirring now, eyes opening though still looks half asleep. Feel bad now, unfortunately, do have to wake her up. Don't think she'd be too happy if let her end up in Outer Mongolia.

"Harry? Urghh, too early."

"I know, Nikki, I know. But we're just about to land, OK, we'll be in Cape Town in about 5 minutes. You can sleep in the car on the way to Sara and Pieter's."

"…OK…" Oh dear, doesn't seem to be showing any signs of becoming more alert.

"Harry, what time is it?"

"About ten past 6, the flight was delayed, remember?" Has worried, guilty look on face now, not quite sure why. Maybe she's still half asleep?

"God, we never let Sara know that the flight was delayed, did we? They'll have been sat in the pick-up zone for over an hour by now, they could have had an extra hour's sleep."

"I know, but once we were on the plane, about to take off at any moment or so we thought, we had no means of contacting them, did we? And anyway, we did tell them to check the website for delays before they set out, if they didn't bother then it's their own fault. It's not your fault, Nikki, don't worry about it. They'll forgive us."

"True… so we're landing in about 5 minutes?"

"Yep, that's what the air hostess said."

"OK… we should probably wake Josi and your mum, then, shouldn't we?"

Oh god, good point, am going to have to wake mum up. 46 years of experience have taught me that mother is so not a morning person, especially when woken up against will. Apparently she needs her beauty sleep.

**-6.11am**

OK, am just going to bite the bullet and do it.

"Mum? Mum?"

"Hmm? Jesus Christ, is it morning already?"

"Mum!" Would cover Josi's ears, though am fairly sure she's heard worse. Still, is the principle of the thing, if nothing else. "It's not morning exactly, no, but we're here. I think we're going to be landing any second now."

"Well thanks Harry, you could at least have given me some more warning! How am I supposed to make myself presentable for meeting my daughter-in-law-to-be's almost-family when we're due to land any second now?"

"Oh come on, Mum, you've met them all before. You've fallen head first into a swimming pool in front of them after too many glasses of wine and dancing too close to the karaoke machine cord, they're hardly going to laugh at you because you haven't had time to redo your make-up after an 11 hour night flight, are they?"

"That's not the point, Harry! Right, I'm off to the toilets to sort my make-up out, don't leave without me, will you!"

Ah. That went well. Knew I shouldn't have mentioned the swimming pool incident from 2014 New Year party, oops. Though is her own fault, am never going to let her live that one down.

"Daddy?"

"Oh, you're awake! We're almost there, Joycelin, another couple of minutes and we'll be landing, OK? And then I'm sure they'll be a spare bed you can crash on at Auntie Sara's until we go home this evening." Have half of holiday home up the road from Sara and Pieter's: after Martha, Nikki's… friend? Surrogate mother? Not sure. Josi's grandma no.3. Anyway, after her house was burned down 2 years ago and Nikki and I realized was no way in hell she was going to be able to find somewhere else to live, or was going to accept help in any form (way too proud), came up with action plan of scraping together money to buy holiday home in Cape Town and telling Martha that as we weren't even going to be there most of the time, she was moving into the spare bedroom, no arguments. Seems to be working rather well so far.

"Why would I want a spare bed to crash on? I'm not tired, you know!"

"Are you not?" Oh god.

"No, not really."

"But… but you've only had 6 hours sleep!"

"So? I'm excited! Because when we get off the plane I get to go and see Auntie Sara and Uncle Pieter and everyone and…"

"Well, we're not going to see them straight away, Josi, are we? We've got to go and collect our luggage first, and battle our way through passport control, and then…"

"I know, but that's actually quite fun!"

"Quite fun?" Ah good, Nikki seems to be confused by that one too, is not just me who's finding it difficult to get head around how passport control and luggage collection can possibly be fun.

"Well, yes! The trolleys are fun, anyway!"

"What? No, no, Josi, we talked about this on the way out, remember? Playing with the trolleys is a bad, bad idea."

"But I wasn't actually playing with them Daddy! Jenna and Jasper were racing them, and Jacob and I were just the passengers, so if you think about it…"

Think she's even more inquisitive when she's running on 6 hours' worth of sleep.

**-6.32am**

"Daddy? Daddy, why is it taking so long?"

"Because the world and his wife have decided to come to Cape Town for Christmas, Josi." Don't think have ever seen passport control as busy as this, is ridiculous. Desks probably understaffed due to being stupidly early hour in the morning.

"How can the world go on holiday to a place that's a part of it?"

Damn, should have seen that one coming. Joycelin really is way too bright for me, either she's a genius or I'm getting older and slower. Strongly suspect the latter. "It's just an expression, darling, it means everyone; everyone seems to have decided to come to Cape Town on the same day at the same time, hence the length of the queue." Ohhh, think we might finally be approaching the front of the queue.

"Right, Josi, go and show the nice man your passport, and we'll see you on the other side, OK? And make sure you wait for us, won't you? You know your mummy gets a bit panicky when you run off without warning."

"OK. Which passport do I give him?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether you want a gruff, bored, 'welcome to Cape Town', or an over-friendly smile, a handshake and a 'welcome home'."

Is frowning now, think might have finally outwitted her. "But I don't live here. I live in… in South West London, so why would the man on the desk say welcome home to me if I gave…?"

"No, I know, but that's not really the point… never mind. Just go and give him _a_ passport, OK? Preferably a real one with your name and photo on it, we don't want to wake up in Guantanamo Bay."

**-6.48am**

"Uncle Harry?"

"Yep?" Grrr, have only just finished answering all of Joycelin's questions, looks like now have Jacob on my case.

"How much longer is it going to be?"

Ah, that old chestnut. "Not too much longer, hopefully. We just need to wait for all our bags to come through and then we'll get out of here and go and find Sara and Pieter, OK?"

"How much longer is not too much longer?"

"Probably another hour, Jacob, Daddy's just trying to be optimistic."

"Oi! Oi, you, that's really not very helpful!"

"But Daddy, I'm sorry, but it's true! When we when to Wales with Nana last year and there was that accident on the Severn Bridge that blocked off all the lanes, you promised me that we'd only be stuck in the jam waiting for the police the clear the road for an hour tops, and Mummy said maybe a bit longer, but you said no, definitely only an hour, and it was 2 ½ hours! And Mummy had to go in a…"

"Yep, thanks Josi, I remember. And since then I've amended my special built-in time predictor…"

"Do you even have one of them?"

"Yes, Jasper, I definitely have one. Anyway, since we got stuck on the Severn Bridge going into Wales I've made amendments to my built-in time predictor, and so now I'm almost certain that we'll be out of here in the next 15 minutes, OK? We just need to wait until all our suitcases have come round, then we need to wait for Josi's Nana to finish touching up her make up in the bathroom, and then we'll be out of here."

"Can I run on ahead and see if Auntie Sara and Uncle Pieter are outside?"

"No! No, Josi, wait there please, I mean it!"

**-7.03am**

"You call her, Harry!"

"What? Why me? You've known her for longer, you call her! She'll be less mad at you, you were her 'protégé', after all!"

"Exactly! She'll go into angry teacher mode if I phone her, but you've only ever been her equal, so she won't be mad at you!"

"Yes, but… but you told me she was a dragon in the mornings, Niks! I don't want to be on the receiving end of that!"

"Well, nor do I! Face it Harry, you're phoning her!"

"Are you talking about Auntie Sara?"

Oops, didn't realize Joycelin was listening. Ohhh. Ohhhh, actually…"

"Josi, do you think you could do a very important job for Mummy and Daddy?"

"Depends what it is."

"If I lend you my phone, could you call Auntie Sara and tell her we're now at the pick-up point?"

"OK then."

**-7.04am**

Right, fingers crossed plan will work. Know Sara hates being dragged out of bed unnecessarily, though am hoping will not have it in her to lose patience with cute little 8 year old.

"Hello? Hi Auntie Sara! We're just at the pick-up point now, sorry, our flight was really late… OK… OK, we'll wait here. See you in a minute… bye!

"There, see Daddy! She's really not that scary if you approach her the right way!"

Sometimes, really wish could be Josi's age again. Have whole world at your fingertips and vast majority of adults in your life wrapped around your little finger.

**-7.07am**

Ahh, think this must be them. Great hulking police van followed by tiny red thing bearing great resemblance to beetle, couldn't possibly be anyone else.

"Auntie Sara!"

Good god, how did she know it was Sara from that distance? Eyesight seems to be deteriorating by the minute.

"Hey, trouble! What happened to you then? I thought you were meant to be landing at 5?"

"I know, we're really late, aren't we? I'm not sure what happened, but the stupid pilot made us sit on the runway for ages in London before he actually took off. So I think he should be fired, because it's just a big waste of everybody's time really, isn't it?"

So need to stop Josi watching The Apprentice in future, 'you're fired' comments are getting ever-so-slightly out of hand.

"Hi Sara! Sorry, despite what Joycelin says, it wasn't the pilot's fault, we couldn't take off because there was a staff shortage or something. Sorry you had to wait."

"Oh no, don't worry, it's fine. It wasn't your fault. And anyway, it's actually worked in our favour; Callum's been able to do plenty of gear changing practise around the car park."

"Callum?" Eeeeek. Callum is Sara and Pieter's youngest child at only just 18, know for a fact he only got his provisional licence 3 weeks ago. Which means that unless has been out on roads illegally (which highly doubt, given that Pieter works for South African police) can only have 21 days of driving experience at most. More likely 7 or 8 hours' worth, maybe less. Oh god.

"Ja, I thought we could kill 2 birds with one stone, give him his third lesson this morning while the roads are quiet. Right, so 3 of you can come with us, and then the other 6 with Pieter."

Suddenly aware that Nikki, Mum and I are only ones not frantically stuffing suitcases into back of police van. Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god. Shit.

"Harry?" Mum actually looking quite pale, think she might be experiencing flashbacks to when I was 17 and learning to drive; ie, not particularly far forward by lesson 3. "Harry, she's not seriously going to let him drive us home, is she?" Thankfully she's whispering, don't think Sara or Callum would take too kindly to that one.

"Well, she's going to have to, Mum, she's still not allowed to drive, apparently…"

"Come on you two, how long does it take to shove a suitcase into the back of a car?"

Uh oh, no getting out of it now. One small mercy is that Nikki has taken middle seat, which means won't have to put up with mother crushing hand to death whole way down the N2. Although not sure Nikki will be any better, strongly suspect is scarred for life after driving lessons with Sara, if is even ounce of truth in some of the stories she's told me. No wonder is such a cautious driver.

"Right Callum, so biting point… ja that's good, now gas- no, no not that much! Calm down, right, that's good, OK start indicating, or that bakkie's not going to stop for you, now you've left it too late BREAK! OK, let him go now, hand break on or we're going to roll backwards… right, I've got it!"

Don't think dare look at Nikki out of fear of breaking into hysterics/swearing loudly/possibly both. No, am just going to look straight ahead and breathe deeply and try to convince self everything will soon be fine. Only another 40 minutes before arrive in Three Anchor Bay… only another 40 minutes…

Oh god, Callum has stalled car for 5th time in row, still haven't moved since Sara took action and put on hand break. Have nasty feeling am going to have more than just broken fingers in a few minutes.

Ahh, we're moving.

"Callum, so start to indicate now, we want the 2nd exit onto the N2, OK? Right, that's good, now feed us round, no, not like that! Feed, feed, more, come on more, OK straighten up STRAIGHTEN UP! OK, don't worry about that, just concentrate… right, rev it up a bit, we're on the N2, not the bloody highway! Come on, at least get it up to 90 or that 4 by 4'll be all over us… yep, change gear, that's good- no, clutch down first, LET GO OF THE GEAR STICK! No, stay in this lane, you're fine here, you don't want to let your father overtake you, do you?"

Cannot believe after all that trouble just getting out of the car park she's turning this into a race at top speed down the bloody national route.

Owww, Nikki crushing broken fingers, rather painful although don't want to cry out in pain/tell her off in case distract Callum and end up wrong way up in ditch. Will settle for evil glare.

Oh, maybe not, looks just a little bit terrified. Although still beautiful. Always looks beautiful.

**-7.19am**

Sara shouting at Callum in Afrikaans now, judging by look on Nikki's face is really not looking good. Wonder if could get away with adopting brace position without Sara and Callum noticing? Best not, am going to have to brave it sitting up in seat and hope and pray for miracle. Like 'road ahead closed' sign.

Actually, no, hope to god am not going to see one of those any time soon. Dread to even think what Callum is like at emergency stops.

**Bakkie- South African slang for lorry. I did consider changing it to lorry to make things easier, but Sara's accent is too strong for me to be able to imagine her saying 'lorry'. :P**


	20. Friday 20th December 2019

**5 days until Christmas :) Thank you so much to my lovely reviewers, Dinabar (have you been reading my oneshot plans? :), Emma (meant to say last time, let me know what day your birthday is and if I have time I'll write you a oneshot), Lizzi and Amy, seriously, you guys are one of the only things keeping me going through the hell hole that is revision :( Glad Callum's driving lesson turned out to be funny after all! I've had a bit of a reshuffle of chapters so to those of you who gave suggestions for today's chapter, I have used your ideas but they'll be appearing in tomorrow's chapter :)**

**Don't forget to let me know what you think, and remember, you don't have to have an account to review :)**

**Love Florencia xxx**

**Friday 20****th**** December 2019**

**-Nikki's Diary**

**-7.29am**

Cannot believe am out of bed before 8 in the morning on second day of holiday ready to head into work, is complete and utter ridiculousness. Trouble is, wanted to stay for New Year too which would mean 3 weeks off work, which would use up far too much of holiday allowance. So have come up with cunning plan: Harry, Leo and I are going to do 5 ½ days at Peppertree Mortuary with Sara, and Janet is going to do some kind of psychoanalysis thing at Pieter's work. Which means that are all only actually taking 11ish days' worth of holiday, so still have plenty left for wedding and honeymoon next year. Perfect. Well, perfect in sense get to preserve much-needed holiday time, not so perfect in sense that means have to drag self into work. Although, know for fact Sara &co. get paid for doing bugger all in afternoons, so at least have leisurely afternoon of sunbathing/catching up/last minute Christmas shopping/kissing fiancé ahead. Maybe has the potential to be perfect after all.

Although, am going to have to brave Callum's awfully dangerous driving again in order to get there.

And tiptoe through lounge area to kitchen in order to make self cup of coffee, due to Mrs C being still asleep on z-bed in corner; thanks to now having 10 people in 3 bed holiday house are now just a little short of space.

Damn, knew shouldn't have put heels on just yet, are making horrible clicking noise on kitchen tiles. Will make coffee quickly and get out of here, really, really don't want to wake Mrs C given bad reaction to being woken up yesterday morning on airplane. Admittedly was most likely overtired and jet-lagged, but still, am not taking any chances. According to Harry, Mrs C is arguably worse than Sara in mornings if woken unexpectedly. If even physically possible.

**-7.34am**

Phew, kitchen successfully negotiated, now just need to go and hurry along fiancé, who will almost certainly be nowhere near ready to leave. And need to decide whether to wake Joycelin or not; Leo, Janet, Harry and I are leaving the kids with Martha and Mrs C for the day, not sure if should make their lives easier by dragging Josi out of bed now, or if lives would in fact be easier if had good hour or so of house to selves before children surface and chaos resumes. Hmm. Will think about it.

**-7.35am**

"Harry! Leo! Sara and Callum are going to be here soon, are you ready to go?" Why is it that almost entire male population seem to be incapable of getting going in the mornings without constant chivvying? Is like having 2nd and 3rd child at times.

Ah, Harry finally emerging from bathroom, minor miracle. "Almost, Nikki, almost. I just need to get onto our solicitor; I think before we leave we should confirm who we want to bring up Joy should we die an untimely death in a road traffic accident, don't you think. Martha! You wouldn't mind looking after Josi for us if Nikki and I don't make it out of Sara's car in one piece, would you?"

"Harry!" Think is secretly terrified of getting back into car driven by Callum, trying to add humour to situation in hope of distracting self. "Oh Harry, come on, everyone has to learn at some point! You've got to give the poor boy credit for persevering, it takes real determination to battle your way through driving lessons with Sara!"

"Ohhh, is this about Sara's driving instructing?"

"Yep, how did you guess?" Oh dear, seems like is top gossip, suspect Martha may have been put through hell during one of Callum's earlier driving lessons, or maybe Zaretta's or Ethan's. Don't envy her.

"She taught you to drive, didn't she, Niks? How you survived that one in one piece, I'll never know."

"Well, she's not actually that bad an instructor… once she gets you up to a reasonable level. She's just rather…"

"Intimidating?"

"Yep, that's the one. In her defence, though, I did pass first time." May have been very nearly scarred for life along the way, but still, am sure there must have been some positive points. Although only one that springs to mind at the moment is fact that Sara doesn't charge, so saved a small fortune in what would have been driving lesson money.

Uh oh, doorbell. Think they must be here.

"Right, come on, they're here! Martha, do you want me to go and wake Josi up quickly before we go, or…?"

"No, no, leave her Niks, she's probably tired. How many backflips was it she did into the swimming pool yesterday afternoon in the end?"

"Umm… 42, I think. Three of them in the same dive, she took a running jump and the momentum was so great she couldn't stop herself from turning." Very nearly ended up in casualty when Jasper tried to copy her, therefore all forms of dive into Sara and Pieter's swimming pool banned until further notice. Possibly forevermore.

**-7.49am**

"Hi Sara, hi Callum!" Am going to remain completely calm and collected, breathe deeply and pretend am on roller-coaster; lots of swerving, spontaneous changing of speed and grinding to halt, but completely and utterly safe. Everything's going to be fine… everything's going to be fine…

"You don't mind if we go the long way round, do you? There's a nice steep hill with traffic lights at the top up on Ford Avenue, if we go that way then Callum gets a chance to practise some hill stops and starts.

Oh god. Help. Don't think have ever seen Leo look so scared in 15 years of knowing him, and Leo can usually be relied on to remain calm and level-headed in this type of situation. If Leo worried, Harry and I should be bloody terrified.

**-5.42pm**

"Harry? Harry, budge up a bit, will you? You're taking up the whole towel." Thankfully managed to make it into Sara's work relatively unscathed, though still have to brave journey home. Am beginning to think perhaps fiancé's joke about amending will might not have been such bad idea after all. For now, though, am enjoying peace and quiet of beach with Harry, Leo and Sara and trying not to think about what's going to happen when Callum escapes from holiday job and announces is ready to head home.

"What's the magic word?"

Urgh… actually, magic word line is quite annoying, must make mental note not to use on Joycelin again in near future.

"Oh Harry, come on! I'm falling off the edge of the towel here, I'm going to get sand all over the inside of Sara's car."

"Don't worry about it, Niks, it's nothing my kids haven't succeeded in doing a hundred times before."

"Exactly, you kids! Not self-respecting adults who don't actually want to get covered in sand. Come on Harry, please!"

"Well… I suppose I could, but I'm considering this payback for last night, when you hogged the duvet!"

Grrr, could kill him sometimes. Bet Leo would give Janet perfectly equal half of towel if she were here, and Sara would… actually, no, very much doubt Sara and Pieter would share beach towel equally between them, would probably try to wrestle each other off towel altogether. For couple who love each other very much and have been happily married for 21 years, spend remarkable amount of time at each other's throats.

"Oh Leo, tell him! Hogging the duvet is something you do subconsciously in sleep, I can't help doing it! Hogging a towel whilst perfectly conscious on the beach, however, is completely avoidable and totally unfair!"

"Sorry Nikki, I'm staying out of this one! Sara and I are just going to lie here enjoying the view, you and Harry can battle it out together!"

Damn.

"Harry, please! Harry!" Eugh, face full of sand, yuck, think might be being beaten on this one. Urgh, hate the taste of sand, severely tempted to give in. "Harry! Harry, fine, have the towel! Harry!"

Had so better get make-up-kiss after this.


	21. Saturday 21st December 2019

**4 days and counting :) Feeling hugely stressed about exam revision, this is literally the only thing keeping me sane. As are all my amazing reviewers, you guys have no idea how brilliant you are at cheering me up after horrible revision :) Huge hugs coming your way Emily, Emma, Charlotte, Amy and Lizzi :) Special thanks to Amy and Lizzi for the sandman and the sharks, and to Dinabar for something you mentioned in a review of one of my other fics which ended up materializing in this chapter :) Emily- already written Josi's backstory, it's in Sunset in South Africa :) I know it's long, but the number of chapters is a little bit misleading, if that makes sense, the chapters I write now are much longer than the ones I wrote back then :) **

**See you tomorrow for the next one :)**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Saturday 21****st**** December 2019**

**-Harry's Diary**

**-11.34am**

"Daddy? Daddy?"

"Yes, Josi?" Daughter sounds quite panicked, actually, has probably just remembered something essential for day at the beach that she's left on her bed/ on Sara and Pieter's kitchen table. Depending on what it is, might offer to take her back to get it quickly, beach is only few minutes' walk away from said houses. Might.

"Daddy, why is there a 'shark warning' sign up there by the ice cream stand? There never used to be a shark warning sign on this beach, I would have remembered! There might be a shark in there somewhere and when one of us goes in the sea it might sniff them out and charge at them and rip them to shreds and…"

"Josi, relax, it's… where did you say it was?" Didn't notice shark warning signs on way down to beach, slightly nervous now. She's right, definitely wasn't here in August.

"Up there. Daddy, I know sharks can only breathe underwater, but could a really big scary fer… fer… ferocious one hold its breath and… and shuffle up the beach with its fins and then…"

"Sharks? No one told me there were sharks in the sea here!"

"No listen, Jenna, Josi, I promise you, not even a mentally unstable shark would attempt to shuffle up the beach with its fins while holding its breath. And anyway, just because there's a sign, it doesn't mean that there are sharks on this beach, it's probably just one of these government health and safety schemes so in the incredibly unlikely scenario that someone… someone spots a shark, they can say that they were warned."

"It's not, actually, there have been sharks sighted down here recently. Danika and I did 3 PMs between us on shark attack victims from the stretch of beach down at Mouille Point the other week, and that's only an odd 10 minutes' drive up the road."

Great, thanks Sara.

"Yes, but there aren't any sharks up here, _are there_? And anyway, even if there are, this beach has shark nets, doesn't it? So if a shark tried to swim up to the beach, it'd get tangled up in the net and we'd all be safe, wouldn't we? So it's perfectly safe to go swimming in the sea, we'll all be absolutely fine."

"But that's not how shark nets work, is it? You're working on the assumption that the shark nets lie parallel to the beach, when in actual fact they're… they're positioned vertically, like this, at intervals, kind of staggered but really close together so that the gaps are quite narrow, and they make a sort of diamond pattern, and… and… and normally it's OK because sharks have gills on their sides that they breathe through, so if they turn sharp corners then they can't breathe, which means they can't slalom their way through the shark nets, and so nobody gets eaten. But occasionally a really brave shark manages to struggle its way through to the beach side of the shark net and by that point chances are it's far too exhausted to get back out, so it gets stuck at the shallow end and then it gets really angry, so it…"

"OK Josi, I get the picture! Where on earth did you get all that from?"

"Callum's Social Studies project last summer."

"…right." Thought she must have been quoting from someone/something, is no way could come up with half those phrases by herself. "Well…" oh god, how am I going to reassure her on this one, sounds like she knows plenty about the subject. "Yes, but you said so yourself, Josi, it's really very unlikely that a shark's going to choose today to battle its way up the beach, isn't it? I'm sure we'll all be absolutely fine, OK? Isn't that right, Mummy?"

"Yep, absolutely. Josi, I used to go swimming in there almost every day when I was your age, and not once have I seen a shark, not even in the distance. Anyway… the sharks won't want to come all the way up here anyway, will they, not when they've got a bigger stretch of beach up the road. I mean, this beach is perfect if you're a human, but sharks… it's far too sandy for sharks, isn't it, Harry?"

"Oh, definitely. There's nothing to worry about, promise. Now, how about we go for a nice swim, just so you know that there's nothing to be afraid of."

"No, I'm not going in there!"

"Josi, don't be silly!" Probably need to persuade her to get into water ASAP if want to avoid her developing phobia, though strongly suspect dragging her in against her will can only make the whole thing worse. "OK then, well Mummy and I are going to go for a swim without you!"

"Fine by me. I need to interview Auntie Sara for my school journalist project."

"OK. We'll see you in a bit, then, but if you change your mind, you can always come out to join us!"

"I won't! I'm not going in there, I don't want to be eaten by a shark! You can… can put your life in danger if you like, but don't think I'm going to come and rescue you when the sharks attack!"

"She's a real team player, Harry, isn't she?"

"Couldn't agree more, Niks. Couldn't agree more."

**-11.59am**

Ah, this is the life. Am floating idly in wonderfully warm, potentially shark-infested waters with beautiful fiancé draped across chest and sun high in the sky, couldn't ask for anything better. Well, maybe for waterproof bandage, salt water starting to soak through onto broken fingers, just a little bit painful. But definitely worth it. Could quite happily stay out here forever.

**-12.02pm**

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"Well, that's just as well, Dr Alexander, because I happen to love you too."

**-12.03pm**

What the…?

Grrr, passionate kiss rudely interrupted by out-of-control Leo on surfboard, am so going to kill him later. Wave so high actually went over head, so wasn't planning on dunking head underwater. Urgh. Hmph. Think will head in now, don't want to risk being near-flattened again. So not fun.

"Daddy! Mummy, Daddy, look!"

Hmm, daughter seems to want us to admire random pile-up of sand castles with piece of driftwood sticking out each side and Jacob's sunhat perched on top, not entirely sure what it's meant to be. Must have finished interviewing Sara about 'interesting life' and gotten bored.

"Wow, that's… very interesting, Josi! That's a brilliant…" eeek, no idea what the thing's meant to be, am going to have to wing it. "That's a lovely…"

"Sandman." Ah, thank god for Mum and brilliant stills of sandman-recognition.

"Yep, just what I was going to say, a brilliant sandman. But why exactly…"

"Because I can't make a snow man, because there isn't any snow, but there is lots of sand so I thought I'd make a sandman."

"Ah, right. Well, that's certainly very creative, Josi, what a good idea. Now listen, Mummy and I have just been out in the sea and we're absolutely positive that there are no sharks out there, none at all. So how about we take you out for a swim now, and you'll see that there's absolutely nothing to worry about?"

"Hmmm…" Looks like she's having to think rather carefully about this one, clearly values her limbs more than Mummy and Daddy do. "OK then. But only if I can come out on Uncle Pieter's surfboard, so it there _are_ any sharks in there then I'll be above the water surface and they won't be able to see me."

Wow, is actually quite a good practical solution, sometimes wonder if Josi will go on to become peace ambassador. Or possibly marriage counsellor.

**-12.34pm**

"See Josi, this isn't so bad, is it? No sharks, I promise." Nikki and I have dragged her out as far away from beach as dared on surfboard, even managed to persuade her to dip her feet in over the edge. Although how long that one will last, really don't know.

"You can't be sure though, Daddy."

"Well… well no, but come on, it's not very likely, is it? And look, it's so nice out here, you want to enjoy it, not spend all your time worrying about non-existent sharks."

"OK then… but you promise there's nothing to worry about?"

"Yep, promise. Now, are you coming in properly, or not?" Hang on… "Nikki?" Seems to vanished, don't remember seeing her head back onto beach/further out… no, has completely disappeared… oh god.

"Josi, you didn't see your mum head back in, did you?"

"No. Daddy, where is she?"

"I don't know, Josi, I don't know." Suddenly very worried, can't think where she could have gone… unless has swum off into crowd over to left and can't make her out? Or… no, can't have…

"Nikki? Nikki!"

"Daddy, what…?"

"Nikki! Nik-"

Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god, just felt something nudge against leg. Eeek.

"Josi, you know what you were saying about..."

Ahhhhhh, help, being dragged underwater by leg, salt water in eyes, can't keep head above water. Oh god… I know, will grab onto Josi's surfboard, hopefully will be enough to keep me above water…

Uh oh, loud scream, think have tipped over surfboard and pulled her in on top of me. Oh god, think must be shark, is no other explanation. Am being dragged underwater by giant man-eating shark, am going to be brutally killed and ripped to shreds… oh my god. Crap crap crap crap…

Will try and kick the thing away and scare it, might work… no, actually, might cause it to latch onto legs and rip them off, not great idea. HEEEEEELLLLLPPP!

Oh. Ohhhhh, hang on… think am floating back up to surface, think might have been…

"Nikki! Nikki Alexander, you are DEAD MEAT when I get my hands on you!"


	22. SUnday 22nd December 2019

**Almost Christmas! :) So I've written you a nice bit of fluff in celebration :) Thank you so much everyone who reviewed: Amy, Lizzi and Dinabar, you've just made my day of revision so much better :) Dinabar- it was out-of-control Leo on the surfboard, I think it was in your review of Ungalagl'imbo Yakho Ngopoyiyana , you mentioned that you realized it was Sara's narrative when you couldn't picture Leo on a surfboard :) It was a bit blink and you'll miss it, don't worry!**

**Don't forget, I'm only going to write a boxing day special if this has 100 reviews by Christmas Eve :) Preferably Christmas Eve morning because I won't have much time to write on Christmas day, but I'll do my best. So that's another 13 :)**

**I'm going to try and get tomorrow's chapter up mid afternoon rather than evening/night, hopefully it'll work out :)**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Sunday 22****nd**** December 2019 **

**-Nikki's Diary**

**-9.49am**

"Martha? Martha, where do you keep the cleaning stuff?" Have searched the kitchen high and low and can't find anything more heavy-duty than soap, is sort of an emergency.

"Cleaning stuff? Cupboard under the sink, my darling, behind the saucepans. Why?"

"Josi's just knocked over Jasper's fruit juice all over your nice white sofa."

"Ah. It'll be fine, I'll sort it out in a minute."

"No, don't worry, Joycelin's going to do it herself, maybe that'll teach her to be more careful. Joycelin, stay there, don't move, I'm coming back!" Grrr, why is it that children can't knock over nice pale coloured fruit juice, has to be cranberry? Or, even better, water, why can't she knock over water? Typical.

"Mummy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!"

I know you didn't. But it's not me you need to apologise to, it's your grandma's sofa you've managed to get cranberry juice all over."

"Sorry, Ouma. I'm going to clean it up, promise!"

"I know, darling, don't worry about it. It'll come out, you'll see. And if it doesn't, then it'll add character, OK?"

"Add character? How can a cranberry juice stain add character to a white sofa? Won't it just look horrible? Unless you tipped cranberry juice over the whole thing so it was all a nice pale pink colour and so no one could tell it had ever been white, but that would be really difficult to do, because you'd have to get it all exactly even or it'd just look stupid. So it wouldn't add character at all, would it? You're just trying to make me feel better."

Wish Martha the best of luck getting out of that one.

**-9.51am**

"Right Josi, there's some stain remover and a jay cloth, just do your best and I'll come and help you if you can't get it out, OK?"

"OK. I'm sorry."

"I know you are, it's OK. Right, and once you've done that you need to go and decide what you're wearing tonight." Know what daughter is like, if don't get her to decide on outfit now, will end up trying on 10 different things this evening and making us all late. Like her mother.

"Where are we going again?"

"To listen to some nice carol singing at the church up the road, remember? Daddy and I did tell you."

"Ohhh, I remember. Am I actually going to be able to understand the words this time, or are we all just going to sing along blindly without knowing what it means, like last August?"

"Last August?" Not entirely sure what she's on about, don't remember singing any hymns in a church last August. And anyway, the child can make perfect sense of Georgian English in Jane Austen novels; doubt she'd have any trouble with hymns. "You'll have to elaborate, Josi, I don't know what you mean."

"Don't you remember? Last August, when we went round to Auntie Sara's and Uncle Pieter's and we had the braai in the garden…"

"Yep, we do that almost every time we go round there, Josi, you're going to have to give me a bit more than that…"

"…and all the adults sat round the TV with beers and watched a boring middle aged man wittering on about… about test matches, I think it was, and then everyone else went into the living room to stand around the TV and Anouk and I nearly got squashed, and we all had to sing along with the men on the field even though no one seemed to know what one of the verses meant. And then everyone started hitting balls around and Uncle Pieter and Anouk's dad started swearing at the TV when everyone kept dropping the ball…"

Ah, think she's talking about cricket world cup, possibly Australia vs. South Africa. Seem to remember things got a little heated in build-up to South African team's crushing defeat.

"I think you might be confusing Christmas Carols with the South African National Anthem."

"Oh, OK then. Fair enough. So it's going to be nice understandable music?"

"Yep, nice understandable music, a bit like your school carol concert. Only without the re-inaction of the nativity and the biscuits at the end."

"OK, I can live with that. But only if I can have a biscuit afterwards."

"Well, I think we might be going out for dinner afterwards, but I'm sure some sort of dessert can be arranged, if you're on your absolute best behaviour."

"Hmm… OK then. So… how are we getting to the… the… wherever you said we're going to sing Christmas Carols and listen to nice understandable music?"

"The church? Not sure, darling, I'm not entirely sure how far away it is."

"But we're not driving?"

"Not sure. Why?"

"Because I'm scared about getting into a car with Callum."

"Ah, I see." Must have overheard self, Harry, Leo, Janet, Mrs C and Martha exchanging horror stories earlier, oops. "Well, I don't think there's actually anything to be afraid of, Josi, not really. You just tend to feel rather… out of control… in a car driven by Callum. But he's only been driving for 3 weeks, and that's not really very long, so I think we're going to have to be patient with him for the time being. And hey, maybe when we come out here in April for Mummy and Daddy's wedding, he'll have passed his test and he'll be a brilliant driver."

"Maybe. Or maybe pigs will fly, that's what Daddy said."

"Did he? Right, well… look, tell you what, Josi, if you promise not to mention this to anybody else, then I promise to do everything in my power to ensure that you don't end up in a vehicle driven by Callum, OK?"

"OK, promise."

"Good girl. Right, come on, are you going to go and get dressed now? You don't really want to spend the whole day in your pyjamas, do you?"

"Well, I suppose not. Mummy? Can I go and have a water fight in the garden with Jenna and Jasper and Jacob once I'm dressed?"

"What?" Oh god, is going to make right mess of grass. Then again, is middle of summer, could probably do with watering.

"OK, then. But in your swimming costume, I don't want to have to put your clothes through the wash. And with the water guns, please, not the hose, there's a water shortage on!"

**-1.38pm**

Too hot outside, are all retreating to nice, cool air conditioned lounge area to watch Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special. Well, adults are, kids in Josi's room playing Mario cart 4 way on DSs, is no way Gavin and Stacey is age appropriate. Will give them an hour or so of quiet-ish time to calm down after almost 3 hours of solid water fights, then need to start getting them ready for carol service. Turns out is almost hour-long drive away, Leo, Janet, Harry and I are hoping that journey will wear children out so much will sit quietly through carol singing. Although knowing our luck, is rather unlikely.

"So what did you say this was about, again?"

Hang on… "Have you never seen Gavin and Stacey, Anne?" Can't believe Mrs C has never seen Gavin and Stacey, is comedy gold. Can understand why Martha hasn't seen it, what with it being British TV programme, but Mrs C? What exactly does she do on quiet nights in?

"No, it's on after my bedtime, I expect."

Right.

"Well, it's about…"

"It's about a couple, Gavin and Stacey, obviously, they met through work, but Gavin lives in Billericay and Stacey lives in Barry, in Wales, so they start off just talking to each other on the phone, and then after a while they go and meet up in London for the first time, and they each bring a friend, and then they…"

Never seem to hear her come in.

"Josi, how exactly do you know the plot of Gavin and Stacey?" Will resist temptation to tell her is not appropriate for an 8 year old, Leo and Janet's 3 seem to have supersonic hearing when it comes to the words 'not appropriate.'

Ohhh, have got her now, has gone slightly pink, can always tell when she's trying to keep a secret.

"Umm, well…"

"It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Charlie, would it?"

"No!"

Harry rolling eyes now, daughter really is rubbish liar.

"What do you reckon, Niks, is she telling us the truth?"

"Absolutely not. So how much of it _have_ you seen, then?"

"Well, I've seen the one where they meet, the one where they get engaged on the train platform, the one where they get married, the one with the hen night where they all get really drunk, the one where Nessa has Smithy's baby and Smithy breaks through the barrier to get over the Severn Bridge to get into Wales like Daddy did when we tried to go on holiday to that little Welsh valley and there was a…"

Right. More or less all of them, then.

"OK then darling, I get the picture. Tell you what, why don't you go and have another look at that 1000 piece Forbidden City jigsaw puzzle we all tried and failed to do yesterday evening? We'll all be very impressed if you can do it." Hint hint.

"But I haven't seen this one yet! Please? I'll watch it from an entirely 8 year old perspective, I'll let all the rude grown up jokes wash over my head and pretend I don't understand them, even though I do, because Auntie Charlie explained them to me…"

Oh god. Am never, ever, ever letting Charlie babysit again.

"Tell you what, Josi, how about I come and have a look at that jigsaw puzzle with you, hey? And we can try to finish it by the time all the other adults have stopped flaking out in front of the TV."

Ah, thank god for Leo, is brilliant granddad. Has fantastically thick catalogue of clever distraction techniques, never seems to run out of bright ideas. Don't know how he does it.

**-2.13pm**

"Nikki? Nikki?"

"Hmm?" Had forgotten how brilliant Gavin and Stacey was, don't appreciate being tapped on shoulder in irritating fashion across sofa.

Ah, beckoning motion, think wants to escape off somewhere. Gavin and Stacey will have to wait, get the impression fiancé is not going to take no for an answer.

"Harry? Harry, what…?" Ohhh. Mistletoe.

"They won't miss us if we just lock the door for 20 minutes or so, will they?"

Hmm. Possibly, but am greatly looking forward to putting Harry's mistletoe to good use… oh, blow it.

"No, it'll be fine. Dave's Coaches hasn't even pulled up in Billericay yet, we've got ages."

"That's what I thought." Is holding mistletoe above our heads now and leaning over, spare hand on shoulder, lips close. "You're so beautiful."

Ohhh, can't remember the last time managed to do this properly, must get round to coming up with some kind of weekend sleepover agreement for kids with Leo and Janet so can enjoy this kind of thing more often. Heaven.

**One final thing: tomorrow Sara and Pieter are hosting a Christmas party and I'm ashamed to say I'll be writing it tomorrow morning, as I've been revising all day :( So... any preferences as to whose point of view I write it from? I'm considering Harry, Josi or Sara at the moment, so if you want one of those especially then let me know, and if you've got any other suggestions then I'll consider them too :) **


	23. Monday 23rd December 2019 Part 1

**Happy 23****rd**** :) Thanks so much Amy, Charlotte, Lizzi, LemonsandRosemary and Dinabar for your reviews, glad you're still enjoying this! I think everyone wanted different things in terms of viewpoints for today's chapter, so this is what I've come up with: I've split the 23****rd**** in half so this one is the party preparation for Sara's viewpoint, then this evening I'll upload part 2 of the actual party, which is told from the 3****rd**** person. Which is going to muck up the chapter numbers corresponding to the day, but never mind :P Then for those of you who wanted something from Josi's POV, I'm going to do her for Christmas Eve, because I just think it's all so magical if you're 8 :) Then Christmas Day will probably be Harry, and Boxing Day is still undecided, assuming this gets 100 reviews :) **

**Back again this evening!**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Monday 23****rd**** December 2019 Part 1**

**-Sara's Diary**

**-10.48am**

Urgh, feeling ever-so-slightly stressed, am beginning to think hosting Christmas party on top of actual Christmas was bad, bad idea. Knew should have just gone to supermarket and bought sausage rolls etc from frozen section, would have saved whole lot of time and trouble. Then again, think Josi has discovered hidden talent for stabbing cubes of cheese and pineapple onto cocktail sticks at top speed; apparently, is highly therapeutic. Might have a go at it in a minute.

**-10.50am**

Ohhh, and mustn't forget to go and pick up Pieter's mum and dad from airport this afternoon, would be far too easy to do if get carried away with making party food/wrapping presents/tidying up complete and utter tip of house. Though not sure have time to take Callum down to airport, still need to make fruit salad. Hmm, maybe could get Harry or Leo to take Callum for driving lesson via airport to pick up Pieter's parents? Apart from anything, not sure can cope with 40 minute long car journey with Mrs Lamprecht wittering on about bloody knitting patterns.

"Niks? Do you think Harry would take Callum to pick up Pieter's parents from the airport this afternoon if I asked him nicely?"

"Erm…" hmm, looks slightly hesitant, is odd. Know for a fact he hasn't got anything planned other than lounging on sofa with Leo and Janet's lot in front of bad Christmas movies. Josi has vetoed 'The Christmas Carol' on grounds is unrealistic- has something against Bob Cratchit for forgiving Scrooge just because he gave him a goose apparently- therefore is being 'grown up' and helping with party preparation. Would happily do a swap with her, unfortunately, don't think Niks would be too happy if let Josi near bread knife.

"No, I'm sure that'd be fine, Sara, don't worry. He'll be more than willing. Right, do you want these in the fridge?"

Hmm, doubt she's going to manage to fit anything else into the fridge, was completely full last time checked. God only knows where am going to put turkey when that arrives.

"No, leave them on the side, don't worry." Ohhh, just remembered something else failed to add to 'to do list' this morning. "Josi, can you do me a massive favour, darling?"

"OK… but as long as it's not hovering. I already tried that when Mummy and Daddy asked for a massive favour and it didn't work, it's very difficult to control something that's almost as big as you are."

Awww, bless her. "No, it's not hovering. Would you mind going and reminding Ethan and Callum that they promised they'd get the drum kit down from the attic today? And I'd really rather they did it sooner rather than later."

"OK then. But I'll have to leave the pineapple and cheese sticks."

"That's fine, I think I might have a go at that in a minute." Hope it really is as therapeutic as she made out, might have to go and bang head against wall if not. Knew didn't really have time to go out to carol concert yesterday evening, haven't even gotten round to cleaning bathrooms yet. And can't really lumber that one on Nikki or Janet.

**-10.54am**

"Auntie Sara, they're getting the drum kit down from the attic now. But they can't find the drum sticks anywhere, they think they might have to use pencils instead."

"Right, OK then, I'm sure that'll be fine with Leo."

"Well, he hasn't actually agreed to play the drums for the live music, has he? I thought he said under no circumstances was he going anywhere near the drum kit, on the basis he hasn't played for years and he'll only embarrass himself."

"Ja, that's right, but I've got a cunning plan, darling. We'll do the live music at around 10ish, that'll give us plenty of time to get him drunk to the point he forgets all about embarrassment and agrees to it anyway."

"Sara!"

Oops, think references to intoxication might be on Nikki's black list as far as Joycelin is concerned. Really don't understand her sometimes, Josi is going to be surrounded by completely out of it adults anyway this evening anyway.

"Fine, fine, we'll ask him nicely after lunch."

"OK, then. But doing the live music at 10ish tonight might be a problem, because that's… that's… that's 2 hours after my bedtime."

"No, Josi, it's fine, usual bedtime rules don't apply to parties, remember?"

"But when I went to Abby's party last month you made me go to bed at 8."

"What? No, darling, I mean late night parties. Not swimming parties that finish before it even gets dark."

"Oh. So what time _do_ I get to stay up until?"

"Not sure, we'll see how tired you are."

"Alright then. Auntie Sara, I've finished the pineapple and cheese now, what else do you want me to do?"

"Erm, just let me have a think…" Why is it that have a million things that need doing, and one overenthusiastic helper who's too young to do almost all of them? Is rather ironic, when put it like that.

"Tell you what, Josi, you could have a look through the fridge and try to find the smoked salmon for me, could you? It might be a bit of an archaeological dig, I'm afraid, but it's in there somewhere."

"That's fine, I like archaeology. Auntie Sara, you know the archaeologists who raided the pyramids in Egypt and examined all the artefacts and stuff and put Tutankhamen in the British Museum?"

"Not personally, but ja, go on."

"Well, if the Ancient Egyptians could see… could see what the world's like now, and they could see how the archaeologists destroyed their tombs and put all their things in museums and carbon dated their mummies, all that kind of stuff, do you think they'd be proud that their civilisation was world renowned, or horrified that their beliefs about the afterlife and everything had been totally disrespected and their sacred objected were scattered across loads and loads of different continents?"

Sure she's a genius, don't know how she comes up with these things. Have already staked claim to Josi for when she's graduated from medical school so can be the one to train her as pathologist, then can take at least 50% of credit when she solves near-impossible quadruple murder and becomes world famous in field. Although, now think of it, by time Josi is out of university, assuming she does medical degree, will be almost 70. Urgh, scary thought.

"Umm, well…" Damn, being given smirks from Nikki and Janet, clearly am on own on this one. "Well, that's a very big question, isn't it? But… well, I think at first they'd be horrified, but when they saw how much the modern world has benefitted from learning about Ancient Egyptian civilisation and they saw that all their artefacts had been put in museums so they could be admired…"

"They'd be fine with it? That's what I thought. Mummy, do you know when Danika and Anouk are getting here? Because I want to show Anouk level 9 on my Indiana Jones DS game."

Will never, ever understand how 8 year old minds work.


	24. Monday 23rd December 2019 Part 2

**Very very very very very very sorry, missed the internet curfew last night so couldn't upload till this morning :( Sorry. Christmas Eve will be up in the next hour or so, but I wanted to give you this one now because it's a whole day late :( Big hugs and virtual Christmas cake for Amy, Lizzi, Emma, Izzy and LemonsandRosemary for your reviews, at least 3 more and then I'll start writing a Boxing Day special. And if you've got any suggestions/requests for that, then please do let me know, I'll do my best to incorporate them. And I'll try and get Christmas Day up first thing tomorrow, so if you have time to read it before family stuff starts, then you can. But if not, don't worry, it'll still be there on Boxing Day :)**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Monday 23****rd**** December 2019 Part 2**

**-5.04pm**

"Harry! Harry!" Nikki called across the garden as she saw her fiancé emerge from the kitchen, trying to wave him over to where she was helping Sara arrange plates of food across the table. She pushed the last plate onto the edge of the table and crossed the garden to greet him, frowning as she saw the slightly traumatized look on his face. "Are you alright? Pieter's mum and dad aren't that bad, are they?" Harry hadn't exactly been over the moon when she had revealed that she had been unable to get out of volunteering him to take Callum to go and pick up Pieter's parents from the airport that afternoon; he had gathered enough from Sara over the years to know that both of her in-laws were lovely in very small doses, but had the potential to be hugely irritating if trapped with them for too long. She would have offered to go with him, though Sara had been stressing out over sorting out the spare bedroom, getting on top of the ironing, finishing icing the Christmas cake and draping fairy lights and tinsel around the garden all before the party guests arrived, and somehow it hadn't seemed fair to leave her to go with Harry; it wasn't like he didn't know the way, he had driven to and from Cape Town Airport plenty of times over the years.

"No, they're fine," Harry told her quietly, reaching past her towards the drinks table and pouring himself a large glass of wine. "No problems with them."

Nikki frowned at him now, confused. "Then what… Callum's driving," she realized, lowering her voice a little further. "That bad, hey?"

"Atrocious," Harry confirmed under his breath, taking a generous sip of his wine. "Terrifying. Twice we ended up on the wrong side of the road, he slowed down to 20 kilometres an hour at one point in the middle of the N2 in the fast lane, because he was nervous about the lorry behind us flashing him to go faster, and when we actually got there he almost crushed into the posh-looking convertible in front trying to pull into the pick-up zone. And clutch control, don't even get me started on clutch control and gear changing…"

"Nice," Nikki laughed, squeezing her fiancé's hand a little. "So all in all, a thoroughly traumatic experience which you won't be repeating as long as you live?"

"Got it in one."

"So what about when Josi's old enough to drive?" Nikki asked him teasingly. "Are you seriously telling me that you're not going to teach your own daughter to drive? You're a self-confessed petrol head, and you're too afraid to teach your own daughter to drive?"

"Hey, self-confessed air head, not petrol head!" Harry corrected her. "And yes, after that experience today, yes I am. I'll start saving for a ridiculously overpriced driving school now if I have to."

"So scarred for life, then?"

"Yep, and proud. So how's the party going?" Harry asked Nikki now, leading her over to the swing seat at the bottom of the garden. Mum drunk yet? I haven't missed her falling head-first into the swimming pool, have I, only I promised my Uncle Hector I'd get him a photo this time around."

"Harry!" Nikki laughed in protest. "Your poor mother, you're never going to let her live that one down, are you?"

"Nope."

"I thought so. Anyway, the party," she continued, leaning back against the swing seat and closing her eyes, relaxing as the warmth of the evening sun radiated gently down, warming her face just a little. "Well, Josi was reunited with Anouk about half an hour ago, last I saw of them they were discussing tactics for Indiana Jones on Nintendo DS. Leo and Janet's lot are having a lightsaber fight with what looks suspiciously like toilet brushes, and I think Sara's working on persuading Leo to play the drums for her and Pieter's Fairy Tale of New York rendition. Oh, and there's way too much food, as predicted, we're going to be eating sausage rolls for breakfast at this rate."

"Fantastic. And the Fairy Tale of New York, that's the one Josi's playing the violin part for, isn't it?"

"Yep. That's why we were subjected to almost half an hour of Irish fiddle music last night."

"Right. Please tell me we're not all going to have to perform at some point!" Harry practically begged her, glancing anxiously in the direction of the drum kit and bass guitar. "Because there's no way I'm getting up there in front of everyone and singing along to Wham!. I don't get what's so fantastic about the Fairy Tale of New York, anyway," Harry confessed, shaking his head a little as he ran through the song in his mind; it didn't seem to stand out as anything special, only as potentially dangerous material as far as Joycelin's inquisitiveness was concerned. The lyrics of a certain verse in particular seemed to be practically begging her to ask a whole host of awkward questions.

"What do you mean, you don't see what's so fantastic about the Fairy Tale of New York?" Nikki gasped in mock horror. "It's arguably the best Christmas song of all time! It's such a romantic love song, but it's not over-the-top-soppy… and anyway, it's the perfect song for Sara and Pieter to sing to each other."

"Is it?" Harry frowned, not quite following her reasoning on this one. "How did you work that one out?"

"Because it gives them the perfect excuse to insult each other in as many different ways as possible. They can call each other maggots and scumbags and what-have-you and won't even need the make-up hug afterwards. Plus, by the time they come to actually perform it, chances are they'll have both had too much to drink and be at each other's throats, so it'll be the perfect way for them to take out their aggression on one another and no one will bat an eyelid. It's perfect, the song was practically written for them."

**-7.35pm**

"Daddy?" Joycelin called as she made her way across the garden to where her parents were standing with Leo and Janet and Martha, mini quiche with additional smoked salmon balanced precariously on top in one hand, a glass of something bright pink and fizzy in the other. "Daddy, I think Nana's drunk already."

"Is she?" Harry asked, groaning internally. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, she's just finished skipping around the patio barefoot, and now she's telling somebody I don't recognise all about how she fancies Rick the plumber. With lots of giggling. Oh, and she keeps trying to top up her wine glass, but she keeps pouring it all over the table cloth instead. Does red wine wash out, or does it stain like nail varnish does?"

"Umm, that'll be stains," Harry told her, peering over the crowd in search of his mother and spotting her over by the house, leaning heavily on the arm of a young-looking male, possibly one of Sara and Pieter's son Ethan's friends. "We'll apologise for her later, don't worry. Right. Right, well, thank you for telling me, Josi, I'll keep an eye on her. But I'm not intervening until she starts dancing around the swimming pool again, if she suffers tomorrow for it then she'll only have herself to blame." In 46 years of life, Harry had come to realize that at events such as this, coming between his mother and alcohol before 11 in the evening was a bad, bad idea. Normally she seemed so controlled and dignified, the last person to get herself paralytic at an all-night party, but, as Harry had learned, looks could be deceiving. His mother might be fast approaching 70, but the party animal within her was still very much alive.

"OK then, I just thought I'd let you know," Joycelin shrugged, turning to look around the garden. "I think we're putting the dancing music on soon! You're going to dance, aren't you, Daddy?"

"Course he is, even with his two left feet," Nikki grinned, laughing at the expression on Harry's face and the striking resemblance it bore to a sulky teenager. "Oh come on, Harry, it's Christmas! I only make you dance once a year, don't I?"

"Oi, more than once a year, actually!" Harry protested loudly. "What about the office Christmas party last week, where you tricked me onto the dance floor when Mariah Carey came on and made me dance to no less than 3 Justin Bieber songs before I managed to drag you off! And then there was that barn dance thing the PTA at Josi's school organised…"

"OK, so maybe 3 or 4 times a year," Nikki amended. "But come on, you love it really. And you don't want to be the only sulky Scrooge at the edge of the garden eating Christmas cake, do you?"

"Fair point," Harry sighed begrudgingly, taking Nikki's hand as the garden began to fill with the unmistakable sound of Slade. "But just one, OK? Then we're straight back over to the wine table."

**10.19pm**

"Ohhh, Harry, bring the video camera, I think it's starting!" Nikki called excitedly across the garden, beckoning her fiancé over. It seemed that Sara's plan to leave the live music as late as possible in order to get Leo drunk enough to agree to anything had paid off; now he was sat at the drum kit in the middle of the patio area beside the swimming pool, makeshift drum sticks in hand and grinning madly. Josi seemed to have wrapped so much tinsel around her violin bow that the thing was barely recognisable as one, and as the sound of the keyboard began to echo through the dimly lit garden, Nikki leaned back into Harry's chest, peaceful, content, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"_It was Christmas Eve, babe, in the drunk tank,_

_An old man said to me, won't see another one,_

_And then he sang a song, a rare old mountain tune,_

_I turned my face away, and dreamed about you."_

"See, this is what Christmas is all about," Nikki whispered, turning around to face him, partly in the hope that if she couldn't actually see Sara's terrible attempt at an Irish jig to Joycelin's violin playing, she might be able to fend off the giggles. "Bad singing, parties, surrounded by family and friends…"

"_They got cars big as bars, they got rivers of gold, _

_But the wind blows right through you, it's no place for the old,_

_When you first took my hand on that cold Christmas Eve,_

_You promised me Broadway was waiting for me,_

_You're handsome-_

_You're pretty, Queen of New York City…"_

"About a million awkward questions to answer tomorrow morning when Joycelin gains a whole new vocabulary from Sara and Pieter's rendition of The Fairy Tale of New York?" Harry added, realizing that the bad singing really wasn't going to get any better, nor were Leo's drum beats going to find their way back onto the correct beats of the bar. He was going to have _so_ much fun teasing his friend about this tomorrow morning.

"Yep, that too. Anyway, we might be alright, yet," Nikki considered. "They're both slurring their words so badly that with any luck, she won't understand a thing they're saying when we get to the offending verse."

"_I could have been someone,  
>Well so could anyone, you took my dreams from me,<br>When I first found you.  
>I kept them with me babe, I put them with my own,<br>Can't make it all alone, I've built my dreams around you."_

_Fairy Tale of New York, The Pogues. _


	25. Tuesday 24th December 2019

**Happy Christmas Eve :) Either one more chapter or 2 more chapters of this, depending on how many reviews I have by midnight :) Am going to miss this fic so much, had so much fun writing it, but don't worry, I have got some more Harry/Nikki/Josi fics planned, but I need to wrap up my Lighthouse series so Harry and Nikki can be a nice happy family again first, and finish the Obsession and Salty Tears. So keep a look out :) Thanks to Lizzi and Mollylou for reviewing- Mollylou, yes, this does follow on from my lighthouse series if you've read that, though it's obviously readable on its own. So in answer to your question… I'm not going to tell you, sorry! But I will update Conclusions in Cape Town soon, so you can find out :)**

**Christmas Day chapter is on its way :)**

**Love Flossie xxx**

**Tuesday 24****th**** December 2019**

**-Joycelin's Diary**

**-9.08am**

Hmm, this doesn't feel much like my bed. Is ever-so slightly lumpy and not very wide, plus doesn't appear to come with pillow. Or duvet. Very strange, don't quite understand. Might force self to open eyes in a minute and investigate.

**-9.10am**

Ohhh, all OK now, remember where I am. Am on sofa in Auntie Sara's daughter Zaretta's room; came to crash out here at quarter to eleven last night when Mummy and Daddy said it was very late and we were probably going to crash at Auntie Sara and Uncle Pieter's for the night, so I might as well go and find a nice quiet sofa to crash on. Wasn't totally unexpected, thought this might happen, so resourcefully brought pyjamas, wash bag, change of clothes and Ollie the elephant over to party yesterday afternoon, just in case. Will be able to change into nice clean clothes and emerge from sleep looking very refreshed, unlike Mummy and Daddy and definitely unlike Nana, who had near-repeat performance of Cunningham family legend that is her fall into Sara and Pieter's swimming pool at 2014 New Year party. Except this year was not swimming pool, was flower bed. Think Daddy has pictures, will be taking them in to school for show and tell next term if so. Was comedy gold, almost as good as Gavin and Stacey. Almost.

**-9.13am**

Hmm, Zaretta still asleep, think will go and get changed in bathroom and then go and search kitchen for breakfast. Might make myself coffee if no adults around, have always wanted to try it. Jasper says is disgusting at first, but if you add between 5 and 7 spoonfuls of sugar then it's actually quite nice, like Thornton's cappuccino truffles, only better. Not sure whether I believe him or not, can't imagine anything tasting better than Thornton's cappuccino truffles. Except for strawberry marshmallow ice cream.

**-9.21am**

Looks like won't be trying coffee after all, think can see someone tall in kitchen. Still in pyjamas, and downing large glass of water. What _is_ it with adults and water the morning after parties? Is second time have observed this in less than a month, will have to ask.

**-9.22am**

"Morning, Auntie Sara!" Hmm, her face looks very grey, not just slightly grey like Mummy's was after office Christmas party. And a little bit green. "Are you alright? You don't look very well."

"Oh, morning, darling. No, I'm fine, don't worry about me, I just need some more water and then I'll be fine."

"Oh, OK. Can I ask you a question? Why do adults always drink so many glasses of water the morning after a party?"

"Because it helps with the hangover. Do you know what a hangover is?"

"Umm, I think so. Daddy says it's the worst headache imaginable, like someone's trying to force your skull apart. And it's brought on by drinking too much wine and champagne and cherry and gin and toner and stuff like that. Which I don't understand, because if drinking all those things always gives you a… a… hangover the next morning and means you have to drink lots and lots of water, then why don't you just drink pink lemonade, and put a tiny, tiny bit of vodka in it just covering the bottom of the tumbler, like you did with mine yesterday. It'd be much easier in the long run."

"Ja, that's true. Well… well… I don't know why we all do it, actually Josi, that's quite a good question. Because it helps you to relax and have a good time, I guess."

"But how much of it can you actually remember this morning? Because that's exactly what Nana told me, but when I asked her what was so great about the party she went to last, she said she couldn't really remember much of it."

"Hey, I can remember everything I did last night, thank you! Like how beautifully you played the violin, and… well… I remember dancing round the Christmas tree with your mum, and…"

"And?"

"Fine, so I can't remember much of it at the moment. But it'll all come back to me by lunchtime, you'll see!"

"Really?"

"Yep. Right, do you want some breakfast?"

"Erm…" Not really sure if want food that much, think breakfast is probably going to be cold pizza from last night. Then again, am quite hungry, maybe cold pizza wouldn't be so bad after all. As long as it's Hawaiian. "Yes please. Auntie Sara?"

"Hmm?"

"You know the reindeer? Do you think they'd prefer me to leave them water or lucozade on the doorstep? Because I was just going to leave out a bowl of water for them, but then I thought last night, perhaps lucozade would be better, because if you think about it, Cape Town is right on the far side of South Africa, so after they've dropped off my presents they've still got to fly across the rest of the country before they can get back into the TARDIS and travel back in time so they can deliver Christmas presents in… I don't know, the Congo."

"The TARDIS?" Auntie Sara suddenly looks very confused, weird.

"Ja, you know, the Doctor's TARDIS. Mummy said that the Doctor helps Santa and the reindeer to get presents to everyone in the world by picking them up after they've finished a country and then taking them backwards in time, so they can get it all done before Christmas morning."

"Oh, of course, sorry darling. So…?"

"So, considering that Cape Town is probably going to be one of the first places the reindeer go in South Africa, do you think it would be best for me to give them a bowl of lucozade? Because that would give them a really good energy boost, and reduce the chances of them passing out from overheating over the elephant reserve."

"Oh, I see. Well, that's a very good thought, Josi, but I think it's probably best to stick to water, all the E numbers in the lucozade might make the reindeer a little bit hyper and difficult to control."

True, hadn't thought of that.

"OK then, I'll stick to carrots and water." Ohhh, hang on, she's suddenly gone from grey to a very definite shade of green, really doesn't look good. "Auntie Sara…?"

"One second, I'm coming back!"

**-9.29am**

Hmmm, she looks a bit better now, though still grey. Think it might be alcohol related, though probably best not to ask.

"Are you alright?"

"Hmm? I'm fine, don't worry, I just need…"

"Some water?" Adults are so predictable.

"Thanks. Josi darling, you wouldn't mind doing me a favour and taking a glass of water down to the shed, would you?"

"The shed?" Think the hang-off think might have made her go just a little bit mad. "Why do you need me to take a glass of water down to the shed?"

"Because Pieter's parents had a blazing row at about 3 in the morning and it ended with Claudia kicking Christiaan out around 3.30. Apparently he ended up sleeping in the shed. Don't worry, though, he's used to it, does it all the time at home. And the outdoor heater's in there, so if he got cold he could stick that one. It's fine. They'll be all over each other again by lunchtime. I think Christiaan would appreciate a nice glass of water and a coffee though, don't you think?"

Really don't understand adults sometimes.

**-9.56am**

"Mummy? Mummy, Daddy!" Have finally located them, were crashed out on sofa bed in attic. Could be worse, found Nana in the bathtub. "Come on, wake up, it's almost 10 in the morning!"

"Is it?" Oops, both look quite tired, perhaps should have left them a bit longer.

"Yep. Come on, it's Christmas Eve! Auntie Sara's doing breakfast and then I think we're having a mass game of charades. And then I'm on kebab duty."

"Kebabs?"

"Yes, Daddy, kebabs. We're sticking the vegetables on kebab sticks, because apparently everyone in South Africa braais Christmas dinner, you know, on the barbeque, and you can't just put vegetables on a braai, because they'd fall through the gaps and turn to charcoal at the bottom. So we're going to stick them on kebabs, and then once we've done that we're all going to play charades."

**-3.29pm**

"OK, so let me see if I've got this right." Think either Uncle Pieter is slowly going mad or am hearing things. Maybe he had too much wine last night like Auntie Sara and Mummy and Daddy and Nana… pretty much all the adults.

"So on New Year's Eve, a… a week today…"

"Ja…"

"… you want me to go around your house and locate all the cigarette packets I can, and all the lighters and tobacco and smoking-related stuff, and then you want me to search the garden for ashtrays…"

"Ja, that's right…"

"…and then you want me to put it all in a great big bin bag and take it back to Ouma's with me and throw it out?"

"Yep, you've got it. So can you do that for me?"

"Yes, if you want. But why…?"

"Because your Auntie Sara's been trying to persuade me to give up for years, and it's horrible for your health, and I've decided I do want to actually live to have grandchildren."

"Oh, OK. So… so why did you start, then?" Surely if smoking's really that bad for you, then no one would take it up?

"Because I was 15 and I thought it was cool. But you're not going to be that stupid when you're 15, are you? You're going to stay away from drugs and poison and…"

"Poison?"

"Well, tobacco's effectively poison, really. Which is why I'm giving it up."

"OK. But… but… but cigarettes are really addictive, aren't they? So won't it be really difficult to just stop suddenly?"

"Probably. But you're going to do that for me, aren't you, you're going to remove the temptation for me?"

"OK. But you do realize you could just go and buy a packet from the nice man at the corner shop? I don't think he's going to just not sell them to you if you ask him nicely in advance, is he? There's a credit crunch on, after all."

**-8.03pm**

"Jenna?" Almost bedtime, need to finish sorting out food for the reindeer before get herded into bed by parents. "Jenna, how many reindeer are there?" Have decided between us to give each reindeer their own bowl or water and carrot, to avoid reindeer rivalry.

"Umm, 7 I think. Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet and Cupid."

"What about Bambi?"

"Jacob, Bambi's not a reindeer, he's a normal deer!"

"So? He might come along for the ride."

"Well, if he does then he's going to have to share with one of the reindeer, because I can only find 7 bowls in the cupboard. I think the rest are in the dishwasher."

"OK then. Do you think we should cut the carrots up into little pieces, or will they manage?"

"I expect they'll manage. Come on, we need to go and put these on the doorstep before the grown-ups realize how many bowls we've used and go into melt-down."

**-8.34pm**

"Right, come on Josi, into bed." Hmm, not fair, Grandma and Granddad haven't started trying to get Jenna and Jasper into bed yet. Even Jacob hasn't gone to bed yet, and he's 2 years younger than me. And about 2 inches taller.

"Mummy, do I have to?"

"Yep, come on. Santa won't be able to come and deliver your presents if you're not asleep by 9."

"9?"

"Yep, I think that's the time he's due in Cape Town, isn't that right, Daddy?"

"Um Hmm. Right, bed, now. Go. And you've hung your stocking in the lounge, yes?"

"Yep, but there isn't a fireplace, so it's over the door handle. Daddy, how is Santa going to get in if there's no chimney?" Am a little bit worried about that, if he finds it too hard he might not bother.

"I expect he'll get the doctor to land the TARDIS in the kitchen if it comes to it. Right, I'm turning the lights off in 5 minutes, OK? That should give your cousins enough time to get into bed."

Hmph, not fair. "OK then. But only if you promise they'll be in bed when the lights go out."

"Yep, I promise, darling. LEO, CAN YOU HURRY UP AND GET YOUR KIDS IN BED? Right, night then. Love you. We'll see you in the morning, OK? Sometime after 7.30 would be nice."

**-11.09pm**

"Joycelin! Joycelin! Joycelin?"

Urgh, tired, what's so urgent that it can't wait until morning? Don't even know who it is… actually, think might be Jasper.

"Joycelin, look, it's Santa's sleigh!"

"Hmm?" Ohhh, exciting, don't want to miss seeing Santa's sleigh just because was tired when it flew over Ouma's house. "Where?"

"Out the window! Come on, look?"

"Jasper, isn't that an airplane?"

"What? No, course it's not! Airplanes aren't that long, and they don't have that many lights on them, do they? It's definitely Santa's sleigh. Either that, or it's a shooting star, and that's still really cool."

"True. I know, shall we go and see if the carrots have been eaten?"

"No, probably best not to. We might see Santa, and then he'd have to run away really quickly and wipe our memories with that redcom stuff from Torchwood and not give us any presents, so we wouldn't do it again."

"I suppose. Oh well. We might as well just go back to sleep, you know, we can't do anything until morning."

"We could go and play murder in the dark in the lounge?"

"No we can't, your mum and dad and my Nana are asleep in there, remember? Face it, we're going to have to go back to sleep."

"Or we could play Mario cart?"

Ohhh, brilliant idea, Jasper is genius.

"OK, but only one round. Otherwise we'll be really tired tomorrow and we might fall asleep before 20 way cluedo."

"You can play 20 way cluedo?"

"Apparently, that's what Mummy said. Though I think she and Auntie Sara had to redesign the board and come up with new playing cards. When I suggested a tazer gun as one of the weapons, she shook her head and said something about it being a sign of the times. What is a sign of the times?"

"No idea. We'll ask tomorrow."


	26. Wednesday 25th December 2019

**Wednesday 25****th**** December 2019**

**-Harry's Diary**

**-7.08am**

Ah, morning, welcome to Christmas Day 2019. Hmm, seem to be talking to self, is quite possibly a sign of going old and mad and being all festive-and-good-willed out before Christmas has even started. Oh dear.

**-7.09am**

Should probably get up now, actually, am 250% sure Josi & co. will be wide awake and raring to open presents from Santa, which means will be all hyperactive and either Leo or one of the grandma's problems, most likely Martha, as doesn't know how to say no to anyone under the age of 18. Or over, if you give her puppy dog eyes for long enough.

**-7.10am**

Will get up in a couple of minutes, too comfortable to move just yet. And too busy watching beautiful fiancé sleeping, is lying across my arm with head on my chest and legs tangled up together, therefore cannot possibly move without waking her. Am just going to have to stay here a bit longer and carry on with cuddle, before get ambushed by 8 year old.

**-7.23am**

Ohhh, think she might be stirring.

"Hey, morning you. Merry Christmas."

Don't think she's quite woken up yet, is blinking hazily and yawning. "Merry Christmas to you, too. Can I have a Christmas kiss?"

"Cor, now you're asking! Go on, then. I love you."

"Mummy, Daddy, it's Christmas! Ewww, yuck, do you have to do that in public?"

"I think you'll find we're not in public, Joy, we're in our bedroom, by ourselves, with the door shut. Well, until you came in and ruined our nice peace and quiet, that is!"

Is pouting now, looks like brunette, blue-eyed version of Nikki in mock huff. "That's not a very nice Christmas morning greeting!"

"Hey, I'm only teasing you, darling! Merry Christmas. So, have we had a visit from Santa, then?"

"I don't know, I haven't looked in the living room yet. Jenna and Jasper and Jacob are in there saying Happy Christmas to Grandma and Granddad, but I'm not braving it in there just yet."

Hmm? "Why not, darling?"

"Because Nana's probably still asleep in there, and I don't want to wake her up, she can be really horribly scary in the mornings."

Why is it she always thinks of everything?

"Good point, actually. But your cousins have probably woken up everyone in the lounge by now, so why don't we go and investigate the stocking situation, hey?"

"Daddy, Christmas isn't just about the presents, you know."

Oops, consider myself told. Blimey, what is wrong with her, can't be many 8 year olds who could come out with that one first thing on Christmas morning. Sometimes wonder if Josi is 8 going on 80.

"Good point. So you want to stay here and spread yourself out down the middle of mine and Mummy's bed for a cuddle, then?"

"Well, yes, for a bit, but we can go and open presents from Santa after that, right?"

So she _is_ human, after all.

**-11.39am**

Ah, now feeling thoroughly Christmassy. Just finished shift at South African unofficial equivalent of Crisis at Christmas serving out Christmas dinner to homeless/near homeless in Shanty town, have done good deed for day. Was quite a nice way to start Christmas Day, actually, though think Josi and Leo's kids did more running around playing with other children there than actual helping. Oh well. Probably wouldn't want to risk her touching hot oven anyway.

Right, now just need to pack up Christmas presents and walk round to Sara and Pieter's, hopefully without dropping anything. Just know am going to drop cardboard box with 'FRAGILE' written on it in big letters right on doorstep.

**-12.35pm**

"Daddy?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I've been thinking…"

"Oh god."

"Hey, that's not fair! I've been thinking, you know we all hung our Christmas stockings in the lounge last night?"

"Yep."

"Well, Grandma and Granddad and Nana were all asleep in there, weren't they? So… so when Santa was delivering the presents, wouldn't he be worried that they might wake up and see him?"

"Well no, darling, because Santa's got special magic sleeping dust, hasn't he? Before he goes in he throws magic sleeping dust through the doorway to send them into a really deep sleep, and then he can go in and deliver your presents in secret?"

"Then why did I have to be in bed by 9 so there was no chance of our paths crossing?"

"Because there's a problem with the magic sleep dust, the elves that made it the last 5 years running forgot to make it suitable for children. Anyone under the age of 18 is completely immune."

"Oh, OK then. They should be fired, really, shouldn't they, if they can't do their job properly? That's what Lord Sugar would do, and I think Lord Sugar's actually quite a lot like Santa."

"Fired?" Oh god, what is it about Alan Sugar that seems to be so fascinating if you're an 8 year old? "Josi, we've talked about this, The Apprentice isn't really suitable viewing for you, darling."

"Why?"

"Because you're 8, and it's on after the 9pm watershed. Now come on, which toys are you taking with you down to the beach? Bearing in mind that you don't want to take something that's going to be ruined if you get it covered in sand." Hang on… "And anyway, Josi, how exactly is Alan Sugar like Santa? I'm struggling to see the similarities there."

"Well, Lord Sugar actually seems quite nice really, underneath the façade. And at the end of each task, he gives the people who've done well a treat, doesn't he? So it's kind of like Santa giving presents to the children who've been good, only a sort of adult, business-world equivalent."

How on earth did she think of that one?

**-2.48pm**

This is the life, it really is. Relaxing on beach in sunshine with two favourite girls (well, three if include mother) and friends, eating actually surprisingly nice braai turkey and singing along badly to Christmas carols. Christmas dinner on beach is actually amazing, can't believe haven't done this before. And after late lunch/early dinner can go for nice swim in sea/long walk down beach, without 20 layers to keep warm and worrying about Josi running off onto only partially frozen over lake. Perfect. Have even remembered to bring enough beach towels today, so don't have to steal Nikki's, no sand fighting necessary. And when Josi and Leo's lot go for swim after Christmas dinner, can have her towel too, to roll up as sort of pillow. Am in heaven.

"Daddy? Daddy, will you help Jasper and me build a sand island?"

"Sand island?" Why can't they just build a nice, simple sand castle?

"Yes, a sand island. Don't you know what a sand island is, Daddy? It's when you dig a great big moat around the… the bit of sand that's going to be the island, and then you dig a sort of canal-thing down to the sea so that the moat fills up with water, so then you can build sand castles on the island bit in the middle and it's a sand island!"

"Oh, I see. Well, I'd love to, darling, but that sounds like an awful lot of work, and I think Auntie Sara's just about to do dessert…"

"But Daddy, it's Christmas! And if you can't build sand islands on the beach at Christmas, when can you?"

Why is it she always seems to have such a good point?"

"Fine, go on then, I'm just coming. Give me 5 more minutes of sunbathing and I'm all yours, OK?"

"How about 2?"

"3."

"2 and a half."

"Fine. 2 and a half minutes and counting. But only if I can have the red bucket, that one makes better sand castles."

**Happy belated Christmas, sorry, been busy doing family stuff :) Hope everyone had a fantastic day yesterday, hope you enjoyed this one, and thank you to Lizzi and Amy for reviewing :) I'm in the middle of a Boxing Day chapter, which I'll get up soon, but until then, happy boxing day! And don't forget to review!**

**Love Flossie xxx**


	27. Thursday 26th December 2019

**Thursday 26****th**** December 2019**

**-Nikki's Diary**

**-11.04am**

"Mummy? Mummy, I've made my New Year's Resolutions!"

New Year's Resolutions? Uh oh, hadn't even thought about those, am being shown up by 8 year old. "Since when have you made New Year's Resolutions?"

"Well, no, I haven't made them before. But Uncle Pieter's giving up smoking, and Callum's vowed to pass his driving test by February and learn to cook properly before he goes to uni, and I think Grandma said something about getting on top of the ironing, so I thought I'd come up with something."

"Oh, OK. So what have you got so far, then?" Think this could actually be quite a good idea, even if not entirely convinced she's going to stick at them for more than a week.

"Well, I've got 5."

"Great, well let's hear them."

"I will not chew my duvet."

"Yep, that one's good." Hallelujah, have been nagging her about that one for years.

"I will not chew Mummy and Daddy's duvet."

"Yep, OK. But is that really a separate resolution?"

"Yes!"

"Right, OK then. Carry on."

"I will not sneak my cauliflower into the bin when Mummy and Daddy aren't looking."

Oh great. "Well, I didn't know you did that, but… good, I guess." Grrr, will have a go at her over that one in a minute, don't want to do it now and put her off self-improvement.

"I will not tap dance on the bathroom tiles on weekends when Mummy and Daddy are still in bed."

"Great. That one's brilliant, good girl."

"And, I will not leave Lego all over the living room floor."

"Fantastic. That's really good, Josi, so you're going to try really hard to…"

"And then when I finished doing those, I made some for you."

Oh god. "No, Joycelin, I don't think you understand, you make New Year's resolutions for yourself, you can't impose some you've written on…"

"Mummy will stop giving me peas."

"Hey, come on…!"

"Mummy will stop obsessing over work cases and learn to turn off and relax at the end of the day."

"Oi, I do _not_ obsess!"

"Sorry Mummy, but that one was approved of by 3 separate people."

"What? Who?"

"Daddy, Granddad and Auntie Sara. Anyway, then I've got: Mummy will let me wear lipstick…"

"Josi, listen, you cannot make other people…"

"…and then I've made some for Daddy."

Ohhh. "Have you? And what have you come up with for Daddy?"

"Daddy will stop leaving his smelly socks on the sofa."

Hmmm, should really stick to guns and insist she can't make New Year's Resolutions for other people. However, have been on at Harry about that one ever since first moved in together…

"You know what, Josi, hang on a second; I'm just going to write that one down. So, what else have you got for Daddy?"

"Daddy will do a milimum…"

"Minimum."

"Daddy will do a minimum of 40% of the cooking, not including beans on toast, phoning for takeaways or buying microwave meals from Marks and Spencer's."

"Brilliant, I'm just going to write that one down too."

"Daddy will stop fighting with Mummy over who sits at which desk. That was Granddad's idea."

"Hmm, OK then. But only if we can keep it as 'Daddy will stop fighting with Mummy', not the other way round."

"OK. Then: Daddy will learn to appreciate decent music."

"Wow, brilliant, I like that one. Josi?"

"Hmm?"

"You couldn't do this every year, could you?"

**-3.42pm**

"So… I'm a female politician, I don't live at Downing Street, and I'm a leader of the free world?"

"Yep, that's right." Adults now playing 'who am I?' in Sara and Pieter's garden while children try to drown each other at bottom of swimming pool, as long as glance over to check Jasper has remembered to let Jake up for air every 10 minutes or so, am sure will be fine.

"Am I a Prime Minister?"

"Umm…" Does Germany call their leader 'Prime Minister' or 'President?' Not too sure.

"No!"

"Josi, you don't even know who we're talking about…"

"Yes, I do!"

"Who?"

"Well, you'll have to come to the edge of the swimming pool so I can whisper, or Nana will hear the answer and that would ruin the game."

"Alright… so who is it, then?"

"Angela Murkel, Chancellor of Germany."

What? "Josi, how do you…"

"From the news. Angela Murkel is the nice lady in charge in Germany who's trying to sort out the Eurone Crisis by lending money to all the silly people who use the Eurone and not the Pound. But if you think about it, surely we should all throw away our money and start using the yuan, because the Chinese ecc… ecc… eccolony's doing really well at the moment."

Right.

**-5.18pm**

"Nikki?"

"Hmm?"

"Shall we tell them?"

Hmm, good point. Things just starting to quieten down a bit now, probably good time to gather everyone together. Assuming can drag Josi away from facial reconstruction practise of course. Sara and Pieter seem to have come out trumps on Christmas present front this year, got her facial reconstruction kit from some science museum website, complete with seemingly endless supply of plastic skulls and 5 different methods by way to strip 'tissue' from skull and reconstruct face. Is going to be entertained for hours quite happily.

"I suppose now's as good a time as any."

"Could we have everyone's attention for just a moment?"

Uh oh, being watched intently by entire garden's worth of people now, Harry had so better do a good job of this.

"Sorry, we'll let you all get back to Charades and giant Jenga in a minute, honest! But before you do, Nikki and I just wanted to tell you all that we've finally gotten round to setting a date for our wedding. We're getting married on Saturday 11th April next year, here in Cape Town, down on the beach."

Ohhh, applause, didn't realize we were that popular. And think Pieter's mum Claudia might be blowing kisses at us, woman is officially mad. Lovely, but mad.

**-5.20pm**

Ah, really is nothing better than kissing wonderfully attractive fiancé by poolside on beautiful African summer evening, in heaven. And just under 4 months before fiancé becomes husband on picturesque local beach, just need to sort out taking Josi out of school for week or so first. Will be fine. Not going to worry about that now, though, just going to enjoy moment and relish fact get to be Mrs Harry Cunningham come 20th April. Best Christmas present ever.


	28. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The Cunninghams

7 Diana Gardens

Kensington

City of Westminster, London

England

Saturday 20th June 2020

Dear Callum,

Just a note to say congratulations on passing your driving test- third time lucky! Be sure to make good use of your mum's car and under no circumstances whatsoever be prepared to compromise when you both want to use it on the same day!

Hope University is going well- what do they teach you on Zoology courses these days? All sounds very interesting, you'll have to tell us all about it next time we see you (or alternatively on Skype, if you give Josi your username on Facebook).

Hope to see you soon,

Love Harry, Nikki and Joycelin

xxx

**Happy belated Boxing Day :) Thank you ever so much to all you amazing people for reading this, which I've had so much fun writing, and extra big thank yous to everyone who's reviewed, especially Amy and Lizzi for reviewing that last one, sorry for all the typos (which I think I've corrected now) and hope you enjoyed it. If this reaches 110+ reviews over the next few days, then I promise to do something similar next Christmas :P **

**On the subject of other projects, here's the plan: I've got exams next month so I won't have a lot of time until they're over, but I'm going to aim to finish Salty Tears over the next couple of weeks and the same with Conclusions in Cape Town, which will mark the end of my Lighthouse series and the start of Harry and Nikki and Josi being a happy family :) Then I've got a sort of recovery fic planned following on from that, and along side that I'm going to finish The Obsession. And after that, who knows? :)**

**One last thing, EmmaJ1996, if you're reading this, I'm going to start your birthday fic over the next couple of days, so if there's anything in particular you want it to be on then please let me know, if not, then I'll have a think and come up with something :) And if anyone else has a birthday coming up and you want a fic, let me know and I'll do my best. The only condition is that you review my fics from time to time and review your birthday one :)**

**So, for the last time, Merry Christmas!**

**Love Flossie xxx**


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